On March 25–27, the capital of Austria, Vienna, hosted a joint meeting of the Public Expenditure Management Peer-Assisted Learning (PEMPAL) network, bringing together over 200 participants from more than 30 countries.

The delegation of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia was represented by the leaders of all three PEMPAL thematic communities — Budget (BCOP), Treasury (TCOP), and Internal Audit and Control (IACOP).

Additionally, during the panel discussion, alongside the Minister of Finance of Georgia, the Ministers of Finance from eight other countries also participated.

The working sessions focused on sharing experiences and best practices among professionals and experts from Austria, the European Commission, the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, and other leading countries, addressing global challenges and perspectives in public financial management.

Presentations covered new approaches to green policy and budgeting, as well as the role and emerging challenges of artificial intelligence in internal audit and internal control processes.

Within the thematic committees, the Georgian delegation presented its progress and reforms in the area of public financial management in Georgia.

Executive committee meetings were also held to make decisions and plan PEMPAL’s activities for 2025.

Participants included Natia Gulua, Head of the Budget Department and member of the BCOP Steering Committee; Irma Gelantia-Akhvlediani, Deputy Head of the Public Internal Control Department and member of the IACOP Executive Committee; and Erekle Gvaladze, Deputy Head of the Treasury Cash Forecasting and Management Department and Chair of the TCOP Executive Committee, along with representatives from the Internal Audit Department, Central Harmonisation Unit, and the Budget Department.

The meeting was organized by the World Bank, PEMPAL, and the Ministry of Finance of Austria, with the participation of potential new partners.