Public Policy Advisory

Strengthening Parliamentary Budget Oversight During Myanmar's Democratic Transition

Provided economic advisory services to Myanmar’s Joint Public Accounts Committee to help guide wider economic and democratic reforms during a critical period of democratic transition.

Client: International IDEA (funded by European Union Delegation in Myanmar)

Sector: Democratic Governance / Parliamentary Strengthening

Category: Public Policy Advisory, Public Financial Management Reform, Budget Oversight, institutional reform

Key achievements and results

Led economic advisory services provided to Myanmar’s Joint Public Accounts Committee as part of a $3.5 million program.
Designed and executed several large-scale inter-parliamentary conferences designed to strengthen budget oversight, foster federal-state relationships and inspire wider economic reforms.
Established several capacity building programs that strengthened collaboration between parliament, the executive branch and civil society.

Problem

Myanmar’s parliament required urgent strengthening of budget oversight capacity during its democratic transition. The Joint Public Accounts Committee (JPAC) lacked effective mechanisms to exercise control over the executive branch, resulting in limited transparency and accountability in public fund allocation. Parliamentary committees struggled with inadequate technical capacity for budget analysis, insufficient interaction with government agencies and regional parliaments, and barriers to women’s participation in decision-making processes. The European Commission in Myanmar and International IDEA sought to address this need by establishing a dedicated team of technical advisors charged with providing direct support and advice to Myanmar’s JPAC in the interest of fostering democratic reform and economic growth during a critical period of reform.

Approach

I served as Senior Economic Advisor (PFM) leading a comprehensive program that combined strategic capacity building with practical skill development. Working with multi-disciplinary teams of international experts, I provided on-demand analysis and advice to members of the JPAC and senior civil servants. The approach involved organizing systematic inter-parliamentary conferences that brought together stakeholders from different government levels, integrating technical presentations with practical workshops supported by carefully developed briefing materials that made complex public financial management concepts accessible to participants. Throughout the program, our team maintained close collaboration with the JPAC, regional budget committees, and key government agencies to ensure sustainable institutional improvements.

Federal-state parliamentarian consultations on parliamentary budget oversight and public financial management reform priorities

Results

The program significantly enhanced Myanmar’s parliamentary oversight capabilities during a crucial period of democratic development. The inter-parliamentary conferences established sustainable platforms for collaboration between national and regional budget committees while strengthening coordination between parliament and the executive branch on budget processes. Senior members of parliament, the JPAC, regional budget committees, and key stakeholders commended our team’s work and our positive influence on the institutional capacity of the parliament.

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