The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), in partnership with the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University, has launched a two-week capacity-building training on the Revised Guidelines for Financial Clearance. The training, running from August 25 to September 5, 2025 at Pearl on the Nile Hotel in Jinja, is equipping government officials with critical skills to strengthen fiscal governance and evidence-based policymaking.

In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury (PS/ST), represented by Commissioner Infrastructure & Social Services Department, Mr. Patrick Mwanja, emphasized that the Certificate of Financial Implications (CFI) is more than a procedural step in policy formulation. “It is a vital instrument to ensure that all policy and legislative proposals submitted toCabinet or Parliament do not undermine Government’s fiscal policy objectives and are aligned to the Development Agenda,” he noted.

The revised CFI Guidelines, which took effect on July 1, 2025, introduce a stronger institutional and analytical framework for financial clearance. They require Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to demonstrate compliance through:

• Undertaking and securing approval of a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) by the Office of the President.
• Submitting a Statement of Financial Implications (SFI) to MoFPED.
• Conducting consultations within MDAs and Policy Working Groups (PWGs).
• Supporting MoFPED in undertaking an Integrated Regulatory Cost-Benefit Analysis (IRCBA).

According to the PS/ST, these reforms are designed to enhance inter-agency coordination, improve the efficiency and quality of financial clearance, and ensure that public resources deliver maximum value to citizens. “The success of these reforms rests not only on the strength of the guidelines, but also on the competence and commitment of those who implement them. That is why this training is so crucial,” he stressed.

Welcoming participants, Prof. Edward Bbaale, Director of the PIM Centre of Excellence, commended MoFPED’s continued support and the nomination of participants from various MDAs. He described the workshop as timely, coming shortly after the dissemination of the revised CFI Guidelines in June 2025. “These guidelines require robust and evidence-based SFIs before policy proposals and bills can proceed. This workshop will therefore strengthen your ability to prepare such SFIs through the lens of Integrated Regulatory Cost-Benefit Analysis,” Prof. Bbaale said.

Over the two weeks, participants will gain practical skills in:

• Risk analysis to assess uncertainties in policy implementation.
• Cost-effectiveness analysis to compare alternative interventions.
• Developing input-output and financial/economic models.
• Integrating macroeconomic parameters in policy evaluation.
• Preparing Statements of Financial Implications that inspire confidence in decision-making.

The training also builds on the PIM CoE’s broader mandate of research, outreach, and advisory services. The Centre has previously revised the Development Committee guidelines, assessed project performance since NDP I, and hosted the second Public Investment Management Conference earlier this month focusing on implementation challenges in public investment.

Both MoFPED and Makerere University reaffirmed their commitment to continuous capacity building to ensure that Uganda’s public finance architecture remains responsive, efficient, and aligned with long-term national development aspirations.