Improving Financial Governance in Montenegro

May, 2017

Montenegro is developing a functional market economy and is implementing reforms in order to create a favorable and attractive investment climate, necessary for economic growth. The country has developed the Economic Reform Program (ERP) – the key strategic document for medium-term macroeconomic and fiscal programming, and for EU accession. PMCG, in consortium with ADE - Aide à la Décision Économique, under the European Commission project - Support to the Assessment of Macroeconomic Impact of Structural Reforms (under Lot 11 framework) - will work with the Government of Montenegro, in particular with the Ministry of Finance, to improve financial governance and to prepare strategic documents for EU accession.The project team will work with the Ministry of Finance and other relevant line ministries while selecting, evaluating and assessing the impact of the structural reforms, proposed in the ERP.Based on in-depth analysis, the team will develop a new macroeconomic model and dynamic Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) – a model used to forecast government revenues and outlays, and to project the effects of policy changes on the government budget and other macroeconomic indicators. It will also conduct capacity building activities for staff at the Ministry and will develop manuals for using the models. By the end of the collaboration, the Ministry staff will participate in a study tour in one of the EU member states to enhance their skills and capacity in the usage of models and forecasting. As a result of the project, the Government of Montenegro will obtain a more accurate macroeconomic model and strengthen its capacity to use them effectively. This will allow the Government to monitor the implementation of the structural reform measures and their impact, as well as the path of the accumulated impacts of the policy change over a certain time period.   Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Support to the Assessment of Macroeconomic Impact of Structural Reforms  

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Feasibility Study on the Development of Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems in the Regions of Georgia

May, 2017

On May 17, a joint consortium of Infrastruktur & Umwelt, PMCG and REC Caucasus presented the draft report of a feasibility study aimed at developing integrated solid waste management systems for the regions of Kakheti and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti.Representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia and the relevant municipalities attended the meeting.The analysis is a part of a KFW project, which is being implemented in consortium with Infrastruktur & Umwelt (lead company) and REC Caucasus.   Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Integrated Solid Waste Management Programme in Selected Regions in Georgia – Elaboration of a Feasibility Study  

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Advocating Gender Balance in Georgia’s Transportation System

May, 2017

PMCG was recently subcontracted by AETS Consulting, under the framework of the EBRD project aimed to support Tbilisi Transportation Company (TTC) to create better access to employment and training opportunities for female candidates and staff, and to increase the number of women employed in all positions, particularly drivers. Georgia has the lowest levels of female employment in transport in the Caucasus. In order to overcome this issue, a team of international and local consultants will review Human Resource (HR) practices and policies, and assess labor, gender and health and safety conditions at TTC. Based on the results of the analysis, the team will issue recommendations and assist TTC in the process of implementation.By the end of the collaboration, a regional conference will be held to share the experience of TTC with other companies in the Caucasus, interested in undertaking similar changes. Promoting a better gender balance will not only result in better economic independence for women, but it may also lead to an improvement in the work-life balance of transport workers. As pointed out in the Women’s Employment in Urban Public Transport – WISE study, a better gender balance contributes to the general improvement of working conditions for both men and women with positive effects on wellbeing at work, a more balanced culture and thus greater productivity in the company.As a result of the assistance, the TTC will join the worldwide pool of companies that have demonstrated leadership on gender equality through all 7 of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) developed by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the United Nations Global Compact.   Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Gender Advisory Services Programme Georgia – Tbilisi Bus Project  

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Promoting Informal Education among Georgian Youth

Apr, 2017

On April 28, Aleksi Aleksishvili, Chairman and CEO at PMCG, held a seminar for students at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Germany (KAS) Academy of Political Education. The main topic was economic development and prosperity and Aleksishvili presented his views and experience regarding efficient tax systems and also discussed recent developments in Georgia such as current taxes in Georgia and the advantages of reform. “We were delighted to join the initiative, as we believe that knowledge is the strongest basis for effective development and that the progress of countries depends on highly motivated young people”, explained Aleksishvili. The Academy is a project recently launched by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Germany together with its partners, aiming to promote informal education and to increase interest in political literacy among young people aged 18-25.    

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Facilitating Female Participation in Georgia’s Economic Development

Apr, 2017

Women’s active participation is of crucial importance for any country’s fast and sustainable economic development. In order to facilitate the process of increasing women’s role in the development process, The World Bank Group has recently contracted PMCG under the project Gender in Value Chain Analyses – Georgia, aiming to improve market access and competitiveness of female entrepreneurs.The point is that most of the women participating in the process are most often engaged at the lower levels of the value chain. With that in mind, PMCG works to choose three major value chains that have the potential to contribute to increased female empowerment and gender equality. The project team will assess the constraints on the participation of women in the value chain, particularly in the higher value-added segments, and will analyze the difference in power (positions) in the chain of governance to reveal opportunities for women to upgrade their position. Results of the assessment will be used as analyticial background for The World Bank Group to shape more effective project interventions that strengthen government capacity to design gender-informed policies promoting equity and reducing poverty.   Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Gender in Value Chain Analyses – Georgia

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Enhancing Public Finance Management in the Ministry of Justice of Niger

Apr, 2017

PMCG, as part of a consortium led by Belgian consulting company Aide à la Décision Économique (ADE), was awarded the EU framework contract to conduct a public expenditure review of the justice sector of Niger. The project aims to contribute to the improvement of budget management in the justice sector in Niger.The project team will conduct a thorough analysis and review of the following: public expenditure system; recent reforms that took place in the justice sector; legal and institutional frameworks; and budget execution processes. They will also assess the strengths and weaknesses in the planning, execution and monitoring of sector expenditure and produce final conclusions and recommendations to be considered and acted upon.Based on the analysis, the project team will inform the government and other key stakeholders about the nature of public spending and public sector management in the justice sector, recommend ways of enhancing the efficiency of the allocation and management of the resources of the sector, and promote economic and social development.Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Public Expenditure Review of Justice Sector in Niger

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Continuing to Motivate Students to Attain High-Quality Education

Apr, 2017

On March 31, PMCG awarded students with scholarships, funding their studies at the International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University (ISET).“We are pleased that we have the ability to create additional incentives for young and motivated people, who are full of enthusiasm and desire to get a quality education. We are certain that such young people play important role in the country’s and society’s development”, explained Aleksi Aleksishvili, CEO and Chairman at PMCG.“I want to express my sincere gratitude to PMCG for giving me the opportunity to study for free. By awarding me the scholarship, you have eased my financial situation and this allows me to focus more on learning. I will never forget your generous gift. This is a huge incentive for me. I hope to give back to the university someday and help a student to reach their educational goals with a scholarship in the future”, said Zaza Barbakadze, one of PMCG’s scholars.“This scholarship gave me the chance to dedicate myself to my studies and to not worry about financial issues. I was reassured that hard work and endeavor always pay off in the end and there are always helpful people who appreciate your effort. Companies like PMCG with these kinds of initiatives encourage students to use their potential efficiently, meaning that they invest in the future of Georgian education. I consider that financial provisions for prospective students are particularly important for Georgia, a small country with lots of smart and talented young people”, claimed Mariam Tsulukidze, another of PMCG’s scholars.This is our second year of collaborating with ISET. We have chosen this university as it is one of the leading economic schools introducing international academic standards to the region. These students were chosen according to their scores, having demonstrated exceptional drive in their studies. Social conditions were also considered, with scholarship chosen winners from families living below the poverty line.After the awarding ceremony, Aleksishvili also gave a lecture for students and shared his views regarding the economic challenges in Georgia and important relevant amendments to the Constitution of Georgia.

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Trainings for Georgian Self-Governments in Spatial Planning, Asset Management and Capital Investment

Apr, 2017

On April 10-28, a consortium of companies - Ecorys, PMCG and Geographic - will conduct trainings for Georgian self-governments, under the World Bank project aimed at supporting decentralization and facilitation of local self-government reforms. At this stage, the trainings will be of an introductory character and will cover general topics regarding the importance of spatial planning (SP), asset management (AM) and capital investment (CI). Training schedule:    Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of Georgian Local Self-Governments in Spatial Planning, Asset Management and Capital Investment Plans

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Enhancing Capacities of NGOs to Implement USAID Supported Activities in Kosovo

Mar, 2017

Fostering positive and constructive inter-ethnic cooperation between the majority and minority communities in addressing common problems in Kosovo, such as unemployment and access to municipal services, is of crucial importance for the citizens of Kosovo.Chemonics International, under the USAID Advancing Kosovo Together (AKT) program contracted PMCG to facilitate an organizational capacity assessment process at the Community Development Fund (CDF) in Kosovo and to develop a set of recommendations and a capacity building action plan to address the identified performance gaps. The USAID Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT) was used as a framework instrument to assess the capacities of CDF to implement USAID-funded activities. The self-assessment sessions facilitated by PMCG’s consultant helped to identify and prioritize major performance gaps as well as relevant solutions that CDF could implement to ensure that its organizational performance is befitting of a reliable local partner of major international donors.The initial Performance Solutions Package (PSP) developed in 2016 elaborated nine recommendations that were identified by CDF as priority interventions and were included in the Capacity Building Action Plan (CBAP). The CBAP focused on grants management, operations, budgeting, financial management, human resource policy development, strategic planning and communications. The organizational capacity assessment facilitated in 2017 helped to measure the organizational improvements over the past 12 months, to track the progress CDF had made in implementing the performance improvement recommendations, and to identify further gaps that should be addressed in the coming years to further enhance organizational performance.The USAID Advancing Kosovo Together (AKT) program envisions two organizations (one U.S. and the other local to Kosovo) to jointly implement one program that is designed to increase constructive inter-ethnic cooperation between Kosovo non-majority and Kosovo majority communities thereby improving Kosovo’s social, economic, political stability and prosperity. The U.S. prime (AKT-US), implemented by Chemonics International Inc., is expected to strengthen host-country organizations’ capacity to implement USAID Kosovo-funded activities directly, which includes facilitating an OCA and capacity development plan with AKT-LS, implemented by the CDF, and assessing results annually. Please kindly follow the link below for detailed information about the project:Advancing Kosovo Together

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PMCG’s Tax System Expertise Boosted as Another Consultant Secures TADAT Certificate

Mar, 2017

Mr. David Lelashvili, PMCG’s Business Regulatory Environment Consultant, currently working under the USAID Competitive Trade and Jobs (CTJ) Activity in Central Asia project, recently passed the Tax Administration Diagnostics Assessment Tool (TADAT) Assessor exam. As a certified TADAT Assessor, Mr. Lelashvili will be guided by TADAT’s methodology to give PMCG stronger capacity to deliver progress and contribute to its clients’ development in tax systems. Through his extensive experience of working on public policy reforms spanning more than 15 years, he has advised the governments of Georgia, Tunisia, Rwanda, Albania, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine to improve economic policy and facilitate a business enabling environment. Acquiring a TADAT certificate is yet another illustration of his knowledge, experience and standards.TADAT is a tool initiated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is supported by international development institutions such as the European Commission and the World Bank, and countries such as Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. It aims to provide an objective assessment of the condition of key components of countries’ systems of tax administration.

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