On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at the Kintélé International Conference Center (northern suburb of Brazzaville), Christian Yoka, Minister of Finance, Budget, and Public Portfolio, launched the workshop for validating the general accounting standards framework applicable to the public administration sector.

This workshop is organized by the Directorate General of Public Accounts and Assets (DGCPP), with support from the World Bank Group through the "Accelerating Institutional Governance and Reforms for Sustainable Public Service Operations (PAGIR)" program. The ceremony took place in the presence of several members of the Government and Directors General of Public Administrations, including the Director General of the DGCPP, Saturnin Ipodo-Nzingou.

The overall objective of the Workshop is to equip the Republic of Congo with a modern, harmonized accounting framework that complies with international and regional standards, guaranteeing the transparency, reliability, and traceability of financial information produced by the State and its agencies.

Specifically, it will facilitate collective ownership of the framework, harmonization and modernization, enhanced transparency, and official adoption for national implementation.

The proposed framework will harmonize practices, facilitate accountability, and improve Results-Based Budgeting (RBB).

For five days, until Saturday, September 20, 2025, representatives from ministries, public institutions, oversight bodies, and technical and financial partners will review and validate this strategic document. “The exercise you will be undertaking this week stems from the Republic of Congo’s firm commitment to the strategic orientations of the Economic and Financial Reform Program of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (PREF-CEMAC), particularly through the operationalization of government accounting, which is based on International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)—an adaptation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), applicable to private companies—and the technical requirements of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Government Finance Statistics Manual,” declared Minister Christian Yoka in his opening remarks.

Some Workshop Topics

Participants will examine the foundations and objectives of public finance reform; the conceptual framework of the standards. They will also review the various standards, including those relating to individual and consolidated financial statements; intangible assets; and financial assets. to current asset receivables, cash components; financial liabilities; provisions for risks and non-financial liabilities; tax revenues; other revenues; and off-balance-sheet expenses and commitments.

The Benefits of a Framework

This framework is essential. It ensures the reliability and credibility of public accounting; harmonizes practices with CEMAC regional standards and international standards; strengthens transparency and accountability; modernizes public financial management; and reinforces the confidence of citizens, Parliament, and development partners. Without this validation, reforms will remain incomplete, while public administrations will continue to produce fragmented financial information. This would hinder good governance and resource mobilization.

The Communication Unit of the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Public Portfolio