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The State of Budget Transparency, Participation, and Accountability: Findings from the Open Budget Survey 2015
September 10, 2015The World Bank, MC 4-800, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, D.C.
The World Bank, Oxfam America, and the International Budget Partnership (IBP) discuss budget transparency, participation, and accountability around the world.

The World Bank, Oxfam America, and the International Budget Partnership (IBP) are pleased to invite you to a discussion on budget transparency, participation, and accountability around the world. Participants will discuss the results from the latest round of IBP’s Open Budget Survey — the only independent, comparative, and regular measure of budget transparency and accountability around the world — and explore ways for  countries to improve their public finance systems and practices to better ensure more effective and responsive use of public resources to meet public needs.

Date: 10 September 2015

Time:  09:00 to 11:00 (EST)

Venue: The World Bank, MC 4-800, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, D.C.

RSVP: Aichida Ul-Aflaha: aulaflaha@worldbank.org or via Eventbrite

Webstream: YouTube

There is growing interest in the role of open budgeting systems in development. The decisions made in government budgets, and how those decisions are implemented on the ground, have a direct and potentially transformative impact on people’s lives. Mounting evidence shows that the best way to manage public funds efficiently and equitably is through budget systems that are transparent, inclusive, and monitored through strong, independent oversight institutions. On the other hand, lack of fiscal transparency and limited public participation and oversight can undermine fiscal discipline, increase borrowing costs, and promote opportunities for corruption and other leakages.

With an aim to assessing and promoting more open and accountable budgeting, the Open Budget Survey measures whether central governments provide adequate public access to national budget information and opportunities to participate in the budget process. It also examines the strength of legislators and auditors in the budget process. The Survey is implemented by independent budget experts in each country and rigorously vetted. The Open Budget Survey 2015 is the fifth round of the Survey and covers 102 countries.

This event brings together policy makers, researchers, and civil society representatives to discuss the latest findings of the Open Budget Survey 2015. Which countries have made progress, and why? What drives improvements in budget transparency, participation, and accountability? What can reformers both in and outside government do to encourage more open and accountable budgets?

The event will feature a presentation of the Open Budget Survey 2015 results by Vivek Ramkumar of the IBP to be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Alan Fisher of Al Jazeera that will include:

  • Florencio “Butch” Abad, the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management, the Philippines;
  • Neil Cole, Executive Secretary, the Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative;
  • Daniella Ballou-Aares, Senior Advisor for Development to U.S. Secretary of State;
  • Mario Marcel, Senior Director, Governance Global Practices at the World Bank Group;
  • Warren Krafchik, Executive Director, the International Budget Partnership; and
  • Paul O’Brien, Vice President for Policy and Advocacy, Oxfam America

Sri Mulyani, Managing Director, the World Bank Group will provide introductory remarks.

Light refreshments will be provided. 

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