DoF - Abu Dhabi organises a workshop on the preparation of the general budget of Abu Dhabi for 2013

Group of executives, financials, and strategists attended the workshop in addition to a number of financial specialists from the staff who represented various government bodies in Abu Dhabi.

Under the auspices of HE Abdulla Ali Musleh Al Ahbabi, Undersecretary of DoF, Acting, and HE Mohammed Sultan Bin Gnome Al Hameli, Executive Director of DoF; the workshop started at InterContinental Hotel Abu Dhabi, where it discussed a range of key steps associated with the preparation of the general budget, including the main contents of Circular financial balance 2013 and the key points to the requirements of DoF. The workshop also reviewed new models of the budget 2013 and its related guides.

Abdul Aziz Al Hareb Al Yousef, the Deputy General Director of the General Directorate of Budgeting, emphasized the important role played by these workshops to guide and direct government agencies to adopt the best means to prepare the budget, as DoF constantly seeks to illustrate the main points and angles to be included in the budget.

Al Yousef said: "DoF has initiated the development of a financial model for Abu Dhabi that aims to bring about a balance between government expenditure and expected income over the medium term. In addition, DoF direct it to the social and economic sectors of strategic priority, in order to achieve visions and directions of the wise leadership of Abu Dhabi."

Furthermore, the workshop clarified a number of development areas that can be addedto the process of preparing the budget, such as using "Hyperion" system for budgeting. Additionally, it linked the general budget with many of the financial, analytical and standard indicators to determine trends and spending levels, as well as displaying the development of a new mechanism to support transfers between cost centers to increase flexibility in the management of financial resources of the budget.

Moreover, the participants examined a set of general principles relating to control and rationalize public expenditure and the allocation of capital projects, which can be achieved through the comprehensive selection of actual and necessary needs for the year 2013, including the obligations and decisions of the previous phase. The workshop also emphasized on the need to improve the efficiency of revenue collection and government commitment to the decisions issued by the Executive Council.

Hatem Ateeq Al Muherbi, Deputy Director of the General Directorate of Budgeting, mentioned the need for the authorities and government agencies in Abu Dhabi to provide all specified documents in the budget checklist. He also highlighted the key and prominent role of finance officers in government agencies in the implementation and development of this project.

In conclusion, DoF presented an explanation of the basic requirements for preparing the budget for next year, and confirmed its commitment to continue to provide technical support to all government agencies in Abu Dhabi in the preparation of the budget for 2013, before the deadline in July 2012.