Posted by Chita Marzan
The IMF Technical Note and Manual on Modernizing Cash Management has recently been translated into Khmer (attached below), and more such translations are now underway. An article on this technical note and manual (TNM) was featured in the first PFM Newsletter in Cambodia (also below) which was launched in May 2012. This newsletter is a joint effort of Mr. Suhas Joshi, PFM Regional Advisor for Southeast Asia of the IMF Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD), and Mr. Seng Sreng, Director of the Economics and Finance Institute (EFI) of Cambodia. Another article focused on gender-budgeting describing the practices in Pacific Island countries.
The PFM Newsletter evolved from an idea to set up a knowledge exchange group which would connect all the participants of joint IMF/EFI lectures on PFM by email and also through a quarterly newsletter. The newsletter is expected to cover developments in the field of PFM and to bring to the recipients improvements in this field from across the world and in Cambodia itself. The newsletter is to be sent out every quarter jointly with the EFI and also aims to establish a forum for PFM practitioners in Cambodia to exchange ideas and knowledge, and to widen the dissemination of available materials that are relevant for the improvement of PFM in the country. Improving cash management is one of the key objectives of the PFM Reform Program (PFMRP) of the Royal Government of Cambodia. The newsletter is available both in Khmer and in English so that country officials have greater access to international developments in the PFM area.
The founders hope that sustaining this newsletter will lead to the compilation, availability, and dissemination of a wealth of PFM knowledge in Khmer. In fact, they have already been used as references in the recent training program conducted by the EFI, a PFM training center in Cambodia which was set up mainly to improve the knowledge of civil servants involved in PFM. Mr. Joshi has been conducting training on PFM at the EFI.
The PFM Newsletter, as well as the training programs, have been appreciated by the government which has sought more such training to strengthen the capacity of Cambodian officials and to contribute to the success of the PFM reform program in Cambodia.
To date, there are over 150 subscribers to the PFM newsletter which includes officials and staff of the Ministry of Finance, other line ministries and sub-national administration units. Copies of the newsletter are distributed electronically to save paper and are free. The next newsletter shall be issued in September 2012 and cover Commitment Controls, amongst other issues. The Japanese government is providing financial assistance for this undertaking under the Effective and Efficient Public Financial Management Program.
Note: The posts on the IMF PFM Blog should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy.
