Colombia currently benefits from greater access to the mainstream global economy and displays a real entrepreneurial drive. SECO supports efforts to strengthen the country’s public financial management.
Strengthening public financial management in Colombia
Last year, SECO, in keeping with its commitment to promoting sustainable economic growth, trained more than 480 public service personnel in Colombia as part of a bilateral project. The aim was to provide government employees with the necessary skills to implement public-sector reforms more effectively. The courses dealt with subjects such as council tax, performance budgeting and account planning in accordance with international standards.
Participants included personnel from the Ministry of Finance, the national planning department, the national auditor’s office, the National Statistics Office and the Central Bank. Based on their feedback, the SECO project has led to improved cooperation and coordination between the different institutions.
The project was launched in 2013 and will run until 2018. It has already produced a number of important outcomes which will considerably help Colombia on the path to becoming an OECD member. The project also led to the inclusion of a number of recommendations in the National Development Plan 2014-18, in which the government sets out its priorities. The implementation of these proposals will help boost the long-term competitiveness of the Colombian economy.
