Program Agenda

Monday, September 18, 2023

 

2:00 PM – 5:00 PM 

Board of Directors’ Meeting [Invitation Only]

 

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Leadership Reception for Board of Directors and Advisory Board [Invitation Only]

 

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Climate Change and Crisis Management

 

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Registration opens

8:30 am – 10:00 am

Breakfast

 

10:00 am – 10:20 am

Welcome and Opening Remarks


Alex Aleksishvili
ICGFM Vice President of Programs     


Laura Robinson, CPA, CFE, MPA, CBCI
ICGFM President     

 

10:20 am – 10:50 am

Presentation of The 2023 David M. Nummy Lifetime Achievement Award

Presentation and Remarks

Ed Olowo-Okere
The World Bank

 

10:50 AM – 11:25 AM

Keynote Address 


Timothy Gribben
Commissioner for Fiscal Services, U.S. Department of Treasury, USA

11:25 am – 11:55 am

Monitoring Sustainability & ESG Initiatives, from Finance and Compliance Perspective

This presentation will cover how to monitor Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) initiatives and take corrective actions (if necessary) to accelerate sustainability goals. We will discuss how to manage operations, comply with regulations, and report environmental and social responsibilities to governments, not-for-profit organizations, and investors.

SOPTICS.AI is an end-to-end, ecosystem based, business platform to help organizations achieve their sustainability goals.

Moderator:
Jimmy Rollins
Managing Director, Deloitte, USA


Rom Reddy
Founder, President and CEO, SOPTICS, USA 


12:00 am – 1:00 PM

Lunch

 

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm

Crisis and Supply Chain Management

USAID has undertaken an initiative to integrate audit findings into its Enterprise Risk Management process. Using as an example, an OIG report finding on the Global Health Supply Chain Program Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project, the presenter will walk through the 4-step initiative and the implications.

Moderator:
Laura Robinson
ICGFM President 


John Moynihan, CPA, CGFM

Staff Care Champion, USAID Office of the CFO, USA

1:45 pm – 2:30 pm

Ukraine's PFM Under Global Shocks

Under global shocks caused by the recession, disruptions in international supply chains during Russia's aggression against Ukraine, a new socio-political, economic and military reality is taking shape in Ukraine. Implementation of strategic approaches to PFM has become crucial. With international assistance, the Ukraine's PFM is in the process of maintaining its own resilience, supporting the Armed Forces, resolving acute social problems, as well as restoring its economy for the post-war period. 

Moderator:
Alex Aleksishvili
ICGFM Vice President of Programs


Tetiana Iefymenko
President, Academy of Financial Management, Ukraine

 

2:30 pm – 2:45 pm

Break

 

2:45 pm – 3:45 pm

Water Governance in Times of Crisis: Investing in Wastewater Infrastructure in Lebanon

Lebanon is experiencing a financial crisis and government transition. Wastewater Management Director Osama Amad will discuss the USAID Lebanon Community Support Program and the financial management and governance of Lebanon's water and wastewater sector in this critical time. Working with the government, the Program’s goal is to adopt regulatory frameworks that enable more financially sustainable energy and attract investments (e.g. short-term financing models, private investment incentives, and long-term contingency plans). 

Moderator:
Estefania McPhaul
Global Practice Lead, Economic Growth and Trade Practice, Chemonics International, USA


Osama Amad
Director of Wastewater Management, USAID Lebanon Community Support Program, USA 

3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

Managing Public Finances in Times of Crisis

During crises such as war or natural disaster, PFM systems still must function and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Panel presenters will explore the experiences supporting the Government of Ukraine and managing PFM processes such as executing payments during a time of war.

Moderator:
Christina Tripodo
Managing Director, Deloitte, USA


Antonio Crombie
Senior Manager, Deloitte, USA


Andriy Nesterenko
Senior Energy and Public Financial Management Specialist, USAID/Kyiv Mission


Brittian A. Walker
Government and Public Sector Specialist Leader, Deloitte, USA

 

4:45 pm – 6:30 pm

Networking Reception

Sponsored by DevTech

 

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Economics and Public Investment

 

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Registration

8:30 am – 10:00 am

Breakfast

 

10:00 am – 10:10 am

Welcome


Alex Aleksishvili
ICGFM Vice President of Programs

 

10:10 am – 10:45 am

Keynote Address


Susan Chodakewitz

Chief Growth Strategy Officer, The Cadmus Group
 

10:45 am – 11:45 am

Improving Debt Transparency: Reforms to Increase Reporting

Using the 2021 results of USAID's Debt Transparency Scorecard (DTS), presenters from the International Budget Partnership, National Democratic Institute, and the Open Government Partnership will discuss the current state of debt transparency, the work being conducted by practitioners in this area, and the next steps for incentivizing comprehensive reporting.

Moderator:
Steve Rozner
Senior Advisor, USAID, USA


Joseph Foti
Chief of Research, Open Government Partnership, USA


Corina Rebegea
Advisor, National Democratic Institute, USA


David Robins
Manager of the Open Budget Survey, International Budget Partnership, USA


Welmar Rosado
Deputy Chief of Party of FAST, DevTech, USA

 

11:45 am – 12:45 pm

Lunch

 

12:45 pm – 1:30 pm

PFM Anchoring Ethiopia's Road to Prosperity

With about 123 million people, Ethiopia is the second most populous nation in Africa after Nigeria, and one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, with an estimated 9.4% growth from 2010-11 to 2019.

Within this huge economic growth, the public sector is undergoing vast reforms with PFM anchoring the way. From establishment of capital markets, privatization of state-owned enterprises, liberalization of the banking system and an enabling home-grown economic reform, the public finance arena is being focused upon like never before. 

Moderator:
Laura Robinson
ICGFM President


Kalkidan T. Deribe, FCCA
National Project Coordinator, World Bank Project, Ministry of Labor and Skills, Government of Ethiopia

 

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm

Progress and Initiatives to Implement IPSAS in Africa

Using a case study, hear firsthand about an IPSAS implementation in Rwanda, including outcomes and implications for other African countries.

Moderator:
Charbet M. Duckett CPA, CGFM
Executive Director, Williams Adley & Company, LLP


Vincent Nikuranga
Education Commissioner, ICPA Rwanda

 

2:15 pm – 2:30 pm

Break

 

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

PFM Digitalization Journey — Uganda's Experience

PFM reforms in Uganda started in the early 1990s centered on the legal framework, the human capital (people) and digitalizing the underlying processes/systems. The legal frameworks were overhauled and aligned to best international practices. Professional certification of the core PFM staff was sponsored by the government. Underlying PFM systems were digitalized and centralized using Oracle driven IFMS as the flagship computerized system. These are being integrated and deepened to address recurrent challenges such as asset management, etc. The goal now is to transit to full accrual IPSAS.

Moderator:
Laura Robinson
ICGFM President 

Henry Musasizi
Minister, Ministry of Finance, Uganda

Lawrence Semakula
Accountant General, Ministry of Finance, Uganda 

Stephen Ojiambo
Commissioner/Treasury Inspectorate and Policy Dept. Accountant General's Office, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda


3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Implementing Public Investment Programs Under Increased Uncertainty — How Does PFM Need to Change?

This discussion focuses on the importance PFM issues for recipient governments in terms of the implementation of development programs, such as grant-financed infrastructure projects. Presenters will highlight real world examples from MCC projects that faced unforeseen cost escalations due to increased macroeconomic vulnerability and/or climate shocks. Among the key questions to be discussed is how PFM can be made Climate-Smart. 

Moderator:
Jason Wynnycky
Director, Program Financial and Advisory Services, Millennium Challenge Corporation


Sudarshan (Shan) Gooptu, PhD
Senior Director, Macroeconomics and Growth, Department of Policy and Evaluation, USA


Tim Williamson

Global Lead for Public Financial Management, Public Investment Management, and Subnational Governance, World Bank


Moritz Piatti
Senior Economist, World Bank

 

4:30 pm – 4:40 pm

Wrap-up


Aleksi Aleksishvili
ICGFM Vice President of Programs

 

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Public Investment, Tax Systems and PFM

 

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Registration 

8:30 am – 10:00 am

Breakfast

 

10:00 am – 10:10 am

Welcome


Alex Aleksishvili
ICGFM Vice President of Programs

 

10:10 am – 11:10 am

Going Beyond Data Analysis – Piercing Insights and Foresights to Strengthen PFM

 

Moderator:
Jimmy Rollins
Managing Director, Deloitte, USA


Taka Ariga

Chief Data Scientist and Director of GAO’s Innovation Lab, U.S. Government Accountability Office, USA


Nick Hart

President and CEO, Data Foundation, USA

11:10 am – 12:10 pm

Integrity in Revenue Administrations: A Case Study for Why It Matters

Integrity in a revenue administration is vital to ensuring compliance with tax obligations. The USAID Uganda Domestic Revenue Mobilization for Development Activity (DRM4D), implemented by Nathan, has worked with the Uganda Revenue Authority and the administrations of 10 newly created cities to strengthen their integrity and increase their revenue collections. The DRM4D Chief of Party will present on how the project has supported these efforts and on lessons learned from the experience.  

Moderator:
Uzma Ashaf Barton
Director, Economic Policy & Governance Practice, Cadmus Group (formerly Nathan Associates), USA


Eric Uggen
Vice President, Economic Policy & Governance, Cadmus Group (formerly Nathan Associates), USA


Kieran Holmes

Chief of Party, USAID Domestic Revenue Mobilization for Development (DRM4D), Nathan Associates, Kampala, Uganda

 

12:10 pm – 1:10 pm

Lunch

 

1:10 pm – 2:10 pm

The Digital Transformation of Public Finance

Driven by service delivery improvements during the pandemic, governments aspire to accelerate digital technology adoption. This session will explore the public finance implications, including budget cycle interoperability and external data for outcomes-based fiscal management; data & evidence-based decision making enabled by digital; reconsideration of systems of record in supporting systems of engagement, intelligence, & innovation; emerging public finance digital good practices, and lessons from other domains.

Moderator:
Jimmy Rollins
Managing Director, Deloitte, USA


Doug Hadden
Executive Vice President, FreeBalance, Canada

 

2:10 pm – 2:25 pm

Break

 

2:25 pm – 3:25 pm

The Importance of Using Country Systems

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund are being much more intentional about increasing the share of their grants that are channeled through existing government systems. Presenters will discuss what both organizations are doing and how they are working with countries to ensure use of country systems is in-built into the investments they provide. Some challenges will be presented and participants will be asked to share their views about how these challenges might be overcome. 

Moderator:
Parag Shiswawala
ICGFM Vice President, Membership and Sponsorship


Awinja Wameyo
Director, Portfolio Financial Management, Gavi, Switzerland


Eric Boa
Senior Manager, Country Financial Management Strengthening and Innovation, The Global Fund, Switzerland

 

3:25 PM – 4:30 PM

Closing Keynote Address and Wrap-Up


Juan Pablo Guerrero
Network Director, Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, USA


Laura Robinson
ICGFM President

DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAM

 We Want to Thank Our
2023 International Conference Sponsors!