A two-day event brought together accountants and auditors working at ministries of finance and line ministries and representatives of supreme audit institutions, human resource managers, representatives of academia, certified CIPFA accountants and auditors, and other public officials whose work relates to discussion topics. The conference covered four main discussion topics: managing public sector assets, anti-corruption, leadership for reforms, and addressing accountants’ and auditors’ learning and knowledge sharing. As pointed out in the welcome speech by Mr. Besimi, Minister of Finance of the Republic of North Macedonia, “Now is the right time to step up the intensity of the financial management and control activities related to the budget cycle, in all its phases: planning, programming, financial plan preparation, execution, accounting and reporting, and all of the above is important to support with a strong and independent audit process that will provide feedback on the expenditures made, as well as on the results of the implemented programs, activities and projects.”

The title of the conference proved to be the right choice, as the blend of excellent presentations and vibrant discussions, both at the venue and online, provided a great opportunity to build on the knowledge shared during the event. As the pandemic severely hindered access to networking and the benefits it brings, for those attending the conference face-to-face, this was also a chance for a more direct exchange of experiences and ideas.

 Co-creating the event in partnership with CIPFA also gave the event an added value, as both organizations brought their own set of know-how, experiences, connections, and perspectives. Our longstanding and fruitful cooperation was also recognized by Mr. Besimi, with the minister acknowledging our joint efforts: »I would like to emphasize our good cooperation with CIPFA and CEF in the field of PACT and TIAPS, which were dedicated to the training and certification of public sector accountants and internal auditors.«
He concluded that »The Ministry of Finance expects the cooperation with CIPFA and CEF to continue in the field of training and certification of accountants, as well as in the process of preparation for the implementation of national certification of public sector accountants within the Academy of Public Finance.«

We look forward to continuing these successful cooperations and creating even bigger synergies, supporting both professions in gaining the required knowledge and skills to effectively contribute to public financial management improvements.

For additional insights and behind-the-scene impressions from the conference, visit our social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and look for #CEFCIPFAconf2021.

Partners
This conference was supported by CIPFA and by the CEF - through funding of the project Public Accountants Certification Training in North Macedonia (PACT) provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia - Slovenian Aid.