The Busan 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness hosted by the Republic of Korea has succeeded in establishing a more inclusive development partnership, which CABRI welcomes. The outcome document sets out key priorities for effective development cooperation taking into account new and diverse actors.

However, CABRI is concerned that the inclusion of clauses that make compliance with the Busan principles conditional will weaken the ability of partner countries to build effective public financial management institutions. For example, paragraphs 2 and 8 introduce into the aid effectiveness partnership voluntarism and special circumstances as reasons for non-compliance. Paragraph 19b will allow donors to continue avoiding the use of country systems. Paragraph 23a allows for the non-publication of aid information when it is deemed ‘legitimately’ commercially sensitive.

Overall, CABRI believes that the Busan outcome document will be a step back from the Accra Agenda for Action, unless agreement is reached on clearly defined actions and targets that will lead to the increased use of country systems, greater aid transparency and mutual accountability. And more importantly, the providers of development assistance and partner countries should bind themselves
to all the principles, commitments and actions of the outcome document.

CABRI welcomes and supports the various initiatives that were launched in Busan, especially the New Consensus on Effective Institutions and Policies for Development. We also look forward to pursuing work in the area of Aid and Budget Transparency.

On 21 & 22 February 2011, senior officials from African ministries of finance and ministries tasked with aid coordination and budget management met in Cape Town, South Africa, to discuss the main elements needed to promote and implement greater aid transparency. The meeting was attended by 23 African countries and key stakeholders from multilateral and civil society organizations. It resulted in a mandate given to CABRI to draft a common position based on the results of the Cape Town meeting. The draft Position on Aid Transparency was shared widely with senior government officials from all over Africa. Their feedback and practical insights helped to shape the Position that now presents a key building block of the African input to the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, in November 2011.

CABRI is proud to announce that it has received the instrument of ratification of the Central African Republic, joining CABRI as its newest member state.

The CABRI membership of the Central African Republic will come into effect on 25 June, 15 days after the deposition of the instrument of ratification. CABRI then counts eight full member states and over 35 participating countries from across the continent.

Stay up to date with CABRI's activites in 2011 and download the newest version of our calendar of events!

Following the Infrastructure Dialogue that was held from Dec. 7th to Dec. 9th 2009 in Pretoria, CABRI has published three reports.

The publications draw on the keynote papers and case studies developed for use in the CABRI dialogue on Ensuring Value for Money in Infrastructure. The papers were commissioned by CABRI.

Publications:

1. The Appraisal of Infrastructure Projects

2. Financing Infrastructure Projects

3. Managing the Implementation of Infrastructure Projects

In order to find out more about our infrastructure programme and the Infrastructure Dialogue, please go to our infrastructure page.

We would to announce the election of the new Management Committee at the Constitutive General Assembly Meeting on 20 May 2010. The committee comprises:

Ghana

Kenya

Mali

Mauritius

Senegal

Mauritius has been elected chair of the Management Committee. The Management Committee will serve a term of two years.

Rwanda was appointed as the Chair of the General Assembly.

Neil Cole will continue to serve as the interim Executive Secretary

The next meeting of the Management Committee will take place in November 2010.

CABRI is proud to announce that it has just received the instrument of ratification of Mauritius, joining CABRI as a member state.

The CABRI membership of Mauritius will come into effect 15 days after the deposition of the instrument of ratification.

The Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI) is a membership-based network of senior budget officials in Africa. The CABRI Secretariat has several exciting projects coming up in Public Finance Management (PFM) and is subsequently seeking expressions of interest from qualified candidates particularly with expertise in budget preparation and execution and/or accounting, audit and tax reforms. CABRI is especially looking for specialists from the African continent (Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone countries) with extensive experience in Africa and at the global level. Direct experience with ministries of finance is an advantage.

If you are interested in consulting for CABRI, please send your CV as an email attachment to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

CABRI is proud to announce that its founding members - Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Mali, Senegal and South Africa - have completed the procces of ratification of the International Agreement establishing CABRI as an international organisation.

As of 3 December 2009, CABRI will officially be an entity with a legal personality, rules and procedures and an African membership base. The Secretariat will soon be in contact with Ministers of Finance of all participating CABRI countries to invite them to accede to the network and detailing the steps to do so.

Please visit our About Us page for more information on the evolution of the network, its objectives and constitution.

Strategic Framework Statement 2009/10

The Putting Aid on Budget Good Practice Note and Synthesis Report are the latest CABRI publications. They are available at the Publications & Documents page.