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Location: HQ1-BL-517 (AV CORE)
You can read the write up here and watch the event on YouTube here
Fragile and conflict affected states (FCS) face unique and complex challenges, which can include persistent insecurity, exclusion and inequality, and weak institutional capacity and governance. How can they strengthen their economic institutions under these circumstances? This talk will cover the IMF’s experiences in working with FCS countries, with a focus on Somalia, and how this support will evolve in the context of the new IMF FCS strategy.
Speakers:
Jafar Mohamed Ahmed, Director General of Revenue, Somalia
Jafar Mohamed Ahmed possesses extensive experience in PFM and Domestic Revenue Mobilization in particular. As the Director General of Revenue, he has established reform roadmap within Revenue directorate. He managed and facilitated change and performance improvements in public sector institutions related to PFM policy reform and implementation including, multi-year planning (in the form of MTFF-Medium Term Fiscal Framework), collection strategies, and tax administration (in the form of MTRS-Medium Term Revenue Strategy). He also assisted in drafting and implementation of Somalis PFM strategy, action & implementation plans. In addition to that, he spearheaded capacity development programs for tax administration.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Faculty of Management Studies at the University of Delhi, India.
Sharmarke Farah, Director General, Somalia National Bureau of Statistics
Sharmarke Farah is the Director-General of the Somali National Bureau of Statistics (SNBS). He is responsible for leading and coordinating the comprehensive national statistics development strategy (NSDS). The SNBS is an autonomous government agency mandated to collect, analyse, and disseminate all official economic, social, environmental and demographic statistics as well as the formulation of policies and establishing the internal regulations, priorities, standards, and criteria for all censuses and surveys to be carried out in Somalia.
Before his appointment as the DG of SNBS, Mr Farah served as the Principal Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister of Somalia and the Coordinator of the Economic Roadmap, working with 14 Federal Ministries and the Central Bank, focusing on economic and financial reforms (PFM), debt relief, National Development Plan (NDP), human capital development, investment and trade facilitation (including WTO accession), private and infrastructure sector development.
He has an MSc in Public Policy and Management from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, UK.
Vincent de Paul Koukpaizan, Senior Economist, IMF Fiscal Affairs Department
Vincent de Paul Koukpaizan is a Senior Economist in the Revenue Administration Division of the Fiscal Affairs Department of the International Monetary Fund. He provides technical assistance to IMF member countries. His work focuses on revenue administration issues, including strategic planning, revenue administration organization, risk management and compliance management. Vincent is also a certified Tax Administration Diagnostic Tool (TADAT) assessor. He was previously a resident tax and revenue administration advisor at the Regional Technical Assistance Centers of West Africa (AFW) and Central Africa (AFC). Prior to joining the Fund, Vincent held several senior management positions, including Director of the Large Taxpayer Office at the General Directorate of Taxes in Benin. Vincent holds an MBA in Taxation from the San Jose State University, California and a Tax Inspector diploma from the Ecole Nationale d’Administration of Benin.
Zaijin Zhan, Deputy Division Chief, IMF Statistics Department
Zaijin Zhan is a Deputy Division Chief in the IMF’s Statistics Department, where he works on fiscal and public sector debt statistics. Since joining the IMF, he has worked extensively on IMF lending and surveillance policy issues, and a range of low-income and emerging market economies, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Ghana, and South Africa. His research interests include fiscal transparency and sovereign debt issues.
Moderator:
Noha El-Gebaly, Communications Officer, IMF Communications Department
Noha El-Gebaly is a Communications Officer in the Digital Communications Division of the IMF’s Communications Department. Previously, she was an Innovation Officer in the IMF’s Innovation Lab, where she helped formulate and implement a robust and on-going communications and engagement plan for fostering a culture of innovation with both IMF staff and external partners. Prior to the Innovation Lab, Noha worked in the Internal Communications Division for seven years in various roles. Noha holds a B.S. in Computer Graphics and Design from George Mason University’s New Century College.
