b'16 /JOURNEYING TO SELF\x1fRELIANCE /Crown Agents works with governments around thePublic Financial Management and Accountability inSuTRA has been an world in a way that empowers them to achieveNepalimportant tool for the locally su\x1eainable results: \x1erengthening localA\x1cer decades of coni\x1f, Nepal is transitioning to a capabilities and working with the grain of howfederal government that aims to engage citizens andGovernment of Nepal. It has change happens in that context. This o\x0een meansaddress long\x1eanding grievances. Nationwidehelped local governments paying a\x0fention to underlying challenges thatele\x1fions in 2017 saw thousands of representativesmanage their nances could prevent government in\x1eitutions fromtake o\x17ce in 753 local and seven provinciale\x1cciently and enabled their delivering the mo\x1e for their citizens. Whengovernments. countries face huge challenges in scaling upRe\x1bonding to signicant decentralisation, Crownnancial reporting.services to meet basic needs, ge\x0fing be\x0fer atAgents and partners supported the rollout of SuTRA, aRamesh Prasad Shiwakoti,mobilising the resources required or managing theirnancial management sy\x1eem. It enables localJoint Financial Comptroller money be\x0fer is essential.governments to report expenditure again\x1e budget,General and Coordinator ofThe proje\x1fs described here: reforming publicproviding tran\x1barency in the \x1bending of publicthe PEFA Secretariatprocurement in Zimbabwe, \x1erengthening nancialfunds, e\x17ciency in the process and a basis for management for decentralisation in Nepal andaccountability. Developed at low co\x1e in ju\x1e four delivering value in infra\x1eru\x1fure \x1bending in Ghana,months, it is now used by 715 of Nepals local all promote be\x1aer use of government resources andgovernments. A nationwide training programme is work toward a time when foreign assi\x1eance is nounderway to support comprehensive adoption.PROCUREMENT REFORM IN ZIMBABWElonger necessary. SuTRA can track budgeting and \x1bending based onTransforming the State Procurement With our long, rich hi\x1eory of partnering withgender, ethnicity and ca\x1ee, which is crucial given theBoard into a Procurement Regulatory governments to accelerate self-su\x17ciency andgovernments commitment to address inequality. Authority is one of the mo\x1e important pro\x1berity, Crown Agents has a unique per\x1be\x1five on what USAID calls the Journey to Self-Reliance.TALK TO:JOURADE QUARTEY /and successful reforms the government Country Dire\x1for, Ghana of Zimbabwe has undertaken. Helping Ghana Move Beyond Aid jourade.quartey@crownagents.co.uk Zimbabwe ranks very poorly on the Since President Nana Akufo-Addos Ghana beyond aid announcement in 2017, the country has pushed aheadTALK TO: MUCHA MWONZORA /world corruption index. The new with turning its a\x1birations into reality.Country Dire\x1for, Zimbabwe procurement law will help us combat Over 2019, Crown Agents Value for Money auditingmuchanetam@zw.crownagents.com corruption in the procurement of goods service has reviewed some $400 million worth ofand services. public contra\x1fs to build ho\x1bitals, colleges andTALK TO: SARAH CALLAGHAN / housing, generating $20 million in savings.Dire\x1for, Governance and Economic Growth The government decided to work with Ghana has li\x1eed improving education and tacklingsarah.callaghan@crownagents.co.ukCrown Agents because they have the corruption as key to helping li\x1c the country out ofprocurement expertise to assi\x1e us.poverty and reducing its dependency on foreign aid.The sele\x1fion of Crown Agents was By digging into the details of large public-infra\x1eru\x1fure proje\x1fs and providing ancompetitive and they emerged as the independent assessment of their value before scarcebe\x1e technical partner. We would never public resources are commi\x1aed, we have helped freehesitate to work with Crown Agents up vital funds for improving public services. This has created jobs and developed essential infra\x1eru\x1fure tobecause they have di\x1dlayed boo\x1e citizens quality of life for years to come.professionalism and integrity during the whole process.Mr Solomon Mhlanga, Head of Public Se\x1eor Reforms and Performance Management at the O\x1dce of the President, Zimbabwe'