Video Conference on the Establishment of Legislative Budget Offices

January 23/29, 2008

The World Bank Institute (WBI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) organized a video-conference in support of the establishment of Legislative Budget Offices (LBOs) in several countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Indonesia, Thailand, Guatemala, and Dominican Republic).  Participants included selected Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff interested in or responsible for the establishment of LBOs in their respective countries.

The video-conference discussed organizational aspects of LBOs, along with their potential value and core functions.  Not only can LBOs eliminate the executive’s monopoly on budget information, they can make complex budget information understandable to parliament, promote transparency, improve the credibility of budget forecasts supplied by the government, and promote accountability.  LBOs are able to achieve this by undertaking, among other things, the following core functions: (i) economic forecasts; (ii) baseline estimates; (iii) analysis of the executive’s budget proposals; and (iv) medium-term analysis.

The WBI and/ or NDI will undertake follow-up work in-country at the conclusion of the video-conference.

January 23, 2008 – VC for Nigeria, Ghana, Indonesia and Thailand (in English)

January 29, 2008 – VC for Guatemala and Dominican Republic (in Spanish)