UAE hosting OECD Senior Budget Officials Meeting for Mena region this month

The UAE is preparing to host the 14th annual regional meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for Senior Budget Officials in the Mena region (Mena SBO) from November 18 to 19.

The high-profile meeting is going to feature sessions on numerous important topics such as trends in government spending, the latest updates related to public budget preparation, and strategies to boost spending efficiency through modern practices.

UAE: a global hub for hosting international meetings

In 2023 too, the UAE hosted the OECD’s annual meeting of senior budget officials for the region. Discussions at the time focused on budget preparation, green budgeting, public spending and public finance reform processes in member countries.

The annual discussions are aimed at bolstering cooperation among regional decision-makers on public financial management and budgeting. The upcoming meeting this month is going to be attended by senior budget officials and managers from across the region.

The meeting is expected to delve into the application of generative artificial intelligence in budget preparation and public spending. Participants are also going to explore better financing mechanisms designed to foster public-private partnerships.

Younis Haji al-Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, noted that the annual gathering is an ideal opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation and exchange strategies to ensure efficient and transparent management of public financial resources.

OECD helping build stronger, fairer and cleaner societies

The UAE has become a global hub for hosting high-profile international meetings focused on financial management. The OECD is an international organisation seeking to build better policies. It has more than 60 years of experience and insights in the field.

From enhancing economic performance to bolstering policies to fight climate change, the OECD seeks to find solutions to social, economic and natural challenges. The organisation helps countries forge a path for stronger, fairer and cleaner societies.