​Finance ministries are vital to delivering fiscal policy and safeguarding public money - be it in advanced economies that emerge from the global financial crisis, in middle-income countries that seek to transform their economies or in developing countries that aim to reduce poverty. This conference will convene government officials, academics and international experts to discuss the role of finance ministries and how they can be made to work better in the 21st century. 

Unlike different fiscal policy choices and budgetary instruments, where the past decades have seen a flurry of literature and innovation (though not always to much effect), finance ministries themselves have received relatively little attention. Only recently has a small literature sprung up and the international community has started to analyse how finance ministries evolve, adapt and respond to an ever-changing set of challenges.

This timely conference will convene government officials, academics and international experts to discuss the role of finance ministries and how they can be made to work better in the 21st century. The aim of this event is to highlight lessons learnt, share successes as well as failures, disseminate available research and to develop a joint agenda going forward