Djibouti Hosts Regional Workshop to Strengthen Health Financing Oversight

Djibouti City, July 7, 2026 - Djibouti has brought together financial oversight officials and public audit experts from nine French-speaking African countries for a regional workshop aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the management of international health funding. The meeting, organized under the Project to Support the Monitoring of Subsidies Linked to Global Health Initiatives (PASSIMS), was hosted by the Djibouti Court of Auditors in collaboration with the Regional Training Council of Supreme Audit Institutions in French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa (CREFIAF). The workshop focuses on strengthening financial governance and enhancing oversight of funds allocated to combat major diseases and reinforce national health systems. Opening the event, the First President of Djibouti's Court of Auditors emphasized the importance of ensuring that international health financing is managed with the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and financial traceability. She noted that maintaining rigorous oversight is essential to preserving the confidence of development partners while improving public financial management. Participants also highlighted the broader role of supreme audit institutions in promoting good governance, reinforcing institutional integrity, and supporting public authorities through independent oversight and advisory functions. The workshop has brought together magistrates, auditors, and financial specialists from Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Mali, Senegal, Chad, and Djibouti to exchange experiences and strengthen regional cooperation in public financial auditing. Discussions are centered on improving oversight of international funding dedicated to combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as expanding vaccination programs and strengthening health systems. The PASSIMS initiative supports more effective monitoring of grants provided by international health partners, helping ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and reach their intended beneficiaries. The sessions build on previous technical meetings held both in person and virtually, while encouraging participating institutions to harmonize their audit practices using internationally recognized standards developed by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). Beyond technical training, the workshop seeks to foster a regional community of practice by encouraging collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the exchange of expertise among public auditors across French-speaking Africa. Organizers noted that transforming individual experience into collective expertise is essential for strengthening financial governance throughout the region. For Djibouti, hosting the regional gathering reinforces its growing role as a center for cooperation on public financial management and governance issues in French-speaking Africa. The initiative also underscores the broader importance of sound financial oversight in the health sector, recognizing that transparent management of public resources remains a key factor in strengthening health systems, improving service delivery, and ensuring better access to healthcare for populations across the continent.