[:en]Budget Working Group Meeting[:]

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The NGO Forum on Cambodia facilitated monthly meeting of the Budget Working Group to join and the commitment to keep pushing the budget working group remaining as an active working group to achieve more result toward operation plan. There were 15 members (6 Females) attended meeting on 26 July 2018 at Tonle Bassac 1 Restaurant, Phnom Penh.

As previous discussion, members raised that we should also start analyzing on health budget. HACC shall involve in the following meetings to update on health technical working group as well as the communicate flow with Ministry of health. NGOF has the database that can track out the budget for health but this year NGOF is facing the some challenge in requesting for budget books. The request had been submitted since May but we still have not received the budget books as previous year. Members suggest NGOF to re-submit the request letter to Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) for the budget book and letter to Ministry on Health for the program budget book.

Transparency International in Cambodia (TIC) is finalizing and producing 4 different education materials to educate citizen at national and sub national level. The publications will tell citizen on budgetary process and public participation in the budget process. BWG members had provided inputs on the publication in the previous monthly meeting and so far TIC is finalizing and waiting for the review and approval from Ministry of Interior before publish the material. API is also co-producing and using the publications for its target beneficiary. Once the publication is approved by MOI, TIC will distribute as feasible amount of the material to BWG members for using at their own target areas and members can also discuss with inform to TIC whether they want to re-produce the material using their own logos. TIC is happy to share the soft for editing.

National Strategy Development Plan (NSDP) 2019-2023 will be developed by government. NGOF is facilitating to collect inputs from CSOs and provide input through TWG (19 TWGs). So far NGOF had received the inputs from CSOs and next plan will be conducting the desk review by hire consultant to review NSDP 2013-2017.

NGOF had shared about its plan and progress of producing Guide to Tax in Cambodia and progressing NGOF selected a tax firm “Emerald Tax Agent” to be a consult to produce the guide. So far the guide is at the first draft and making use of this meeting NGOF is taking this chance to share the first draft and collect inputs from the members.

The Meeting was finished on time with fruitful results and clear follow-up action.<:>