Brazzaville Prepares for High-Level Central African Talks
The Congolese capital will host delegations from the six CEMAC countries between October 27 and 31 for back-to-back meetings of the Interstate Committee and the 44th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Central African States (UCEAC).
Hotels near the waterfront boulevard report full bookings as technicians install interpretation booths at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the chosen venue for its secure perimeter and enhanced fiber-optic connections.
Program-Based Budgeting on the Agenda
The summit’s theme, “Towards Implementing Program-Based Budgeting to Promote Community Governance,” marks a shift from input-based public finances towards performance contracts designed to strengthen expenditure control and improve service delivery.
Under this model, each ministry will define measurable results—kilometers of road repaired, health posts supplied, gains in school enrollment—and report quarterly, enabling peer review across the region.
Building on the Bangui Resolutions
During the 43rd Session in Bangui last September, ministers approved a common model for measuring tax expenditures, created a regional task force on domestic revenue mobilization, and adopted sanctions for states failing to meet multilateral surveillance benchmarks.
The Brazzaville meeting will review initial compliance data and may recommend timelines for integrating these tools into national finance laws by 2026.
Resource Mobilization Remains a Pressing Goal
CEMAC’s average tax-to-GDP ratio remains below 12%, far from the African Union’s 20% target. With energy price volatility, ministers are expected to discuss broadening the non-oil tax base through digital customs platforms and phasing out costly exemptions granted to strategic investors.
“We must first rely on our own resources to fund development,” stated the Congolese Minister of Economy, emphasizing that domestic revenues provide policy flexibility without increasing sovereign debt.
Transparency and Discipline in the Spotlight
Civil society observers welcome the focus on accountability. Performance-based budgeting only works if results are published. “Citizens should see ministry dashboards online; this will build trust,” one observer noted.
The UCEAC secretariat has tested an open data portal featuring consolidated fiscal tables, and delegates will assess its expansion to public procurement.
Private Sector Closely Monitoring Debates
An import-export business owner hopes for harmonized customs codes from the summit. “Trucks wait for hours at borders because procedures differ. A single electronic manifest would cut costs,” they argued. Consistent rules, they said, would attract new logistics investments in the corridor linking Cameroon and Congo.
The Brazzaville Chamber of Commerce plans a side event where entrepreneurs can question financial officials on tariff reforms and dispute resolution mechanisms introduced by the regional court of justice.