UAE To Host OECD Middle East And North Africa Budget Officials Meeting In November

The UAE, through its Ministry of Finance, will host the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Middle East and North Africa Senior Budget Officials (MENA SBO) annual meeting in Abu Dhabi on 18th and 19th November. This event aims to enhance cooperation and knowledge exchange among regional leaders on public financial management and budgeting.

Senior budget officials from across the MENA region will attend the meeting. Sessions will focus on recent developments in public budget preparation, government spending trends, and strategies to improve spending efficiency using modern practices. Innovative financing mechanisms for public-private partnerships will also be explored.

Participants will discuss initiatives to boost financial literacy among the public, highlighting the importance of sound public financial management. The application of generative artificial intelligence in budget preparation and public spending will also be a key topic of discussion.

Younis Haji AlKhoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, stated that the UAE has become a global centre for hosting significant international events focused on financial and economic management. He emphasised that this annual gathering is an excellent opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation and share strategies for managing public financial resources efficiently and transparently.

"It’s through collective efforts and the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and digitisation that we can truly improve public spending efficiency and enhance transparency in managing budgets," said AlKhoori. "These methods are fundamental to advancing common development goals throughout the region."

The UAE previously hosted the OECD’s annual meeting of senior budget officials for the Middle East and North Africa last year in Dubai. Discussions then included budget preparation, public spending, green budgeting, and public finance reform initiatives within member countries.

This year's meeting aims to continue building on these discussions by focusing on sustainable economic growth ambitions for the region. By sharing insights and experiences, participants hope to foster a more collaborative approach to addressing regional financial challenges.

With inputs from WAM