WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 8, 2022 — The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a $20 million grant for improving management of fiscal and human resources and enhancing the skills of public sector officials in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
According to Anne-Lucie Lefebvre, Word Bank Resident Representative to Guinea-Bissau, “due to persistent institutional instability and weak governance, access and quality of service delivery are poor in Guinea-Bissau, leading to severe consequences for human capital outcomes. These service delivery challenges are especially relevant for women and other vulnerable groups, who are disadvantaged in terms of access to basic services, property rights, and access to livelihoods.”
The Guinea-Bissau Public Sector Strengthening Project II is aligned with the Government’s National Development Plan 2020‐2023 and public sector reform program, which highlight the need to strengthen governance and public institutions to better manage public resources, deliver services, and promote a more inclusive growth trajectory while emerging from fragility and conflict. In line with these objectives, the project seeks to address challenges related to fiscal management practices and oversight of domestic resources, human resource management and payroll controls, as well as capacity gaps within the civil service.
In the medium term, the project will support the government’s implementation of a Treasury Single Account (TSA), which will allow for the centralization of payments, including the payment of civil servant salaries, and support more effective budget execution. The project will also support the development of a Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS), which will allow for better management of the public sector establishment headcount, reduce inefficiencies through the removal of duplicate and ghost workers from the payroll and pension system, and provide more effective oversight of the deployment of public servants. A priority focus area in this regard will be the education sector, where the project will assist in addressing specific human resource challenges, including teacher recruitment, deployment, and training, in line with the recently approved Teacher Career Law.
“The successful implementation of the Treasury Single Account and Human Resource Management Information system will be essential to ensuing fiscal sustainability and service delivery in Guinea-Bissau in the medium term—and the approval of this foundational project is a first step in that direction,” said Gael Raballand, Governance Practice Manger for the Western and Central Africa region.
The Guinea-Bissau Public Sector Strengthening Project II is expected to be closed in April 2028.
