On June 3rd and 4th, CABRI held its 33rd Management Committee (MC) meeting and 15th General Assembly (GA) in member country, The Gambia.

A new MC was elected for the 2025/27 period, under the chairmanship of The Gambia, with the support of the Central African Republic, Ghana, Lesotho, and Malawi. 

We spoke with Mr Alaye Barra, Head of the Budget Monitoring Unit at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs of The Gambia and Chair of the MC, Ms Maleshoane Sylvia Lekomola of Lesotho, Budget Controller at the Ministry of Finance and Budget (Member); and Mr Benjamin MBERIO, Director of Financial Control at the Ministry of Finance and Budget of the Central African Republic (Member).

Mr Alaye Barra, Head of Budget Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, The Gambia and Chair of the CABRI MC for the period 2025/27

CABRI : How long have you been Head of Budgeting Monitoring Unit and what are The Gambia’s priorities in public financial management (PFM)?

Mr Barra : I have extensive experience in financial management and public finance within The Gambia. Since October 2022, I have been serving as the Head of the Budget Monitoring Unit at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, marking my second tenure in this position. My earlier brief tenure in 2018 highlights my ongoing involvement in budget oversight. Additionally, I spent nine years advancing and eventually leading the Debt Reporting and Risk Management Unit at the Debt Management Directorate, signaling my expertise in debt management and financial risk assessment. Notably, I also played a key role in establishing the Social Protection Secretariat in the Office of the Vice President, where I served as the first National Coordinator, contributing to social safety net initiatives in the country.

The Gambia's Public Financial Management (PFM) Strategy 2021-2025 focuses on four main priorities: improving fiscal transparency, strengthening budget controls, increasing revenue collection, and managing debt sustainably. Additionally, the country aims to enhance Public Investment Management through developing a management information system (MIS) and integrating climate considerations into investment decisions. These efforts align with broader goals of promoting socio-economic development and improving citizens' welfare.

CABRI : How does your membership to CABRI support the PFM priorities of The Gambia’s PFM?

Mr Barra : Membership in CABRI supports The Gambia’s PFM priorities by providing access to expertise, tailored training, and opportunities for peer learning. It helps improve budget credibility, foster locally driven reforms, and enhance overall PFM performance, contributing to better resource management and sustainable development. Some of the key partnerships include the implementation of programme-based budgeting, development of medium-term debt management strategy, participation in policy dialogues and strengthening of the legislature in the budget process.

CABRI : What is your vision for CABRI for the next two years and what contributions do you intend to bring to CABRI as a representative of the Gambia on the Management Committee (MC)?

Mr Barra : Over the next two years, CABRI will intensify efforts to strengthen PFM systems across Africa, fostering principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability. Our goal is to enable efficient service delivery, sustainable economic growth, and development aligned with the countries’ aspirations.

As a representative of the Gambia on the MC, I am committed to providing strategic leadership and fostering innovative collaboration. By strengthening partnerships, enhancing capacity, and applying approaches like the Problem driven iterative adaptation (PDIA) approach, we will effectively tackle complex PFM challenges across the continent and drive sustainable progress.

Ms Maleshoane Sylvia Lekomola, Budget Controller, Ministry of Finance & Budget Department, Lesotho

CABRI : How long have you been in your position and what are your country’s public financial management (PFM) priorities?

Ms Lekomola : I have been serving as Budget Controller since February 2019. During this time, I have had the opportunity to lead and support key reforms aimed at improving Lesotho’s public financial management. Our priorities include strengthening fiscal discipline, enhancing budget credibility, and fully implementing the Medium-Term Budget Framework (MTBF) and Programme-Based Budgeting (PBB). We are also prioritising improved transparency, citizen engagement in the budget process, capacity building at all levels of government, and laying a strong foundation for fiscal decentralization to improve service delivery.

CABRI : How does your membership to CABRI support the PFM priorities of your country?

Ms Lekomola : Our membership to CABRI provides an invaluable opportunity to learn from and contribute to a community of African countries pursuing similar PFM reforms. CABRI’s peer-learning approach allows us to access relevant and tested solutions to complex budgetary challenges. The network helps inform our work on programme budgeting, fiscal decentralisation, and budget transparency, directly aligning with our national reform agenda. It also reinforces our commitment to continuous learning and locally-led reform processes.

CABRI : What is your vision for CABRI for the next two years and what contributions do you intend to bring to the organisation as a MC member?

Ms Lekomola : Our vision for CABRI over the next two years is for it to grow as a leading catalyst for context-specific, practical PFM solutions across Africa. We would like to see CABRI deepen its support to member countries in institutionalising reforms, particularly in emerging areas like climate-responsive budgeting, digital PFM systems, and subnational finance. As a representative of Lesotho on the MC, I intend to bring the practical lessons from Lesotho’s PFM journey, contribute to shaping strategic direction, and strengthen collaboration across member countries- ensuring CABRI continues to deliver relevant and sustainable impact.

Mr Benjamin MBERIO, Director of Financial Control, Ministry of Finance and Budget, Central African Republic (CAR)