Finance Minister Ericah Shafudah has praised the beauty of the Erongo coastline and the warmth of its people as Namibia welcomed delegates from across Africa to Swakopmund for the 9th Annual Conference of the African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices (AN-PBOs).
Speaking at the conference in Swakopmund on Monday, Shafudah said the gathering presented an opportunity for delegates not only to engage on public finance issues but also to experience Namibia beyond the conference venue.
"I trust that beyond these conference walls you will find time to experience the warmth of our people and the beauty of our coastline," she said.
The minister's remarks put Swakopmund and Namibia's coastline at the centre of the country's welcome to the continental delegates.
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Budget offices, lawmakers, development partners and other stakeholders from across Africa attended the conference to discuss the role of Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBOs), their institutional strength and the modernisation of their tools. She encouraged delegates to use their time in Namibia not only for formal discussions but also for exchanging experiences and ideas.
"To our delegates, I encourage you to use these days not only for formal deliberation but for the frank exchange of ideas and experience that so often proves the most valuable outcome of gatherings such as this," Shafudah said.
The minister said the discussion on the role of PBOs, institutional power and modernising their toolkit was timely as African governments face increasing pressure to achieve more with limited resources. She said citizens were demanding greater efficiency, transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.
Shafudah highlighted that Parliamentary Budget Offices play an important role in translating complex fiscal information into analysis that legislators can use to scrutinise government spending.
She said Namibia understands the importance of strong institutions in the budget process, particularly as the country transitions to outcome-based budgeting.
The minister said the transition seeks to move the national budget away from focusing mainly on inputs and line items towards assessing what public spending has achieved for citizens.
She acknowledged that the reform would require new frameworks, capacity and stronger accountability across government.
Shafudah said the modernisation of PBO tools was also important as African countries faced complex fiscal challenges, including debt sustainability pressures, climate and disaster financing needs and growing demands for transparent and credible fiscal information.
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She said Namibia remained committed to strengthening parliamentary budget offices, arguing that a well-resourced and technically capable PBO could strengthen the work of the Finance ministry.
"It ensures that the difficult trade-offs inherent in any national budget are understood, debated and owned not only by the executive but by the legislature and through it, by the citizens we all serve," she said.
The conference is being held under the theme 'The Role of PBOs, Institutional Power and Modernising the PBO Toolkit.'
