In the Busan Global Partnership Monitoring Framework context, indicator 9a specifically measures the quality of developing country Public Financial Management (PFM) systems. The indicator is currently based on the World Bank Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) indicator 13 – which offers a measure of the quality of a developing country’s budget and financial management system. However, a consultation process on the indicator identified that the CPIA was not viewed as an optimal indicator for 9a because it does not satisfy the transparency and objectivity criteria; does not help in identifying clear actionable reforms; and is not sufficiently country-led. Accordingly, an alternative to the CPIA for indicator 9a is being investigated.

Mokoro provided the two person team to research alternatives to the CPIA indicator. The objective of this study was to undertake the necessary research to support a decision-making process to develop an alternative indicator set to assess the quality of developing country PFM systems, which better reflects the Busan principles and meets the conceptual, methodological and performance management good practice criteria.

The team produced a Policy Brief, for discussion at the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation Ministerial Meeting in Mexico, April 2014, and a Final Report.