Directive No.__________/2003

1. Authority to Issue

   This directive is issued by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development pursuant to article 15 of the Council of Ministers Regulation No. 17/1997.

2. Short Title

   This directive may be cited as the " Financial Calendar No......../2003.

3. Scope of Application

   This directive shall apply to all entities listed as public bodies in accordance with Financial Administration Proclamation No. 57/1996.

4. Objectives of the directive

   The objective of this directive is to ensure that planning and budgeting are prepared, approved, appropriated and executed by the schedule in Table 1.

5. Definitions                                                                                       Top
   1. Annual Fiscal Plan

      Annual Fiscal plan includes the preparation of annual estimates of the upcoming fiscal year revenue, expenditure and financing.

   2. Budget cycle

      Budget cycle involves the preparation, review, approval, appropriation and execution of the annual budget.

   3. Financial Calendar

      Financial Calendar defines and adequately schedules tasks to be performed, the time frame for each task and the institutions responsible to perform each task so that plan and budget are systematically prepared, approved, appropriated and executed.

   4. Macro-Economic and Fiscal Framework

      Macro economic and Fiscal Framework is a document which will provide for the next three years:

      • Economic growth indicators
      • A forecast of Gross Domestic Product (GDP),
      • A forecast of Government Revenue and Expenditure
      • Expenditure financing
      • The split of aggregate expenditures between Federal and Regional
      • The split of Federal expenditures between Recurrent and Capital.
   5. Plan

      Plan refers to the preparation of both the Macro-Economic and Fiscal-Framework (MEFF) and Public Investment Program (PIP).

   6. Planning Cycle

      Planning cycle shall mean the process to prepare and approve multi- year Macro-Economic and Fiscal Framework and the preparation of the Public Investment Program.

   7. Public Body                                                                           Top

      Public body means any organ of the Federal government that has a legal mandate established by proclamation or regulation, which is partly or wholly financed by government allocated budget, submit its final account

      directly to the respective ministry and is on the approved list of public bodies issued by the Prime Minister Office.

   8. Public Investment Program

      Public Investment Program is a rolling three year capital expenditure forecast prepared by Public Bodies in accordance with the PIP preparation manual.

6. Tasks to be accomplished by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development
   1. Plan Preparation
      1. With regard to Macro-Economic and Fiscal Framework, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has the following duties:
         1. Prepare a three year rolling Macro-Economic and Fiscal Framework and present to the Council of Ministries. Macro-Economic and Fiscal Framework provides a three year forecast of the following:
            • Forecast of Economic Growth and GDP.
            • Government Revenue and Expenditure and source of financing
            • Financing of Expenditure
            • The allocation between the federal government expenditure and the total subsidies to Regions and administrative councils.
            • An allocation between capital and recurrent expenditures for the federal government.
         2. Macro-Economic and Fiscal Framework shall be prepared not later that October 26.
      2. With regard to Public Investment Program the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has the following duties:
         1. A Public Investment Program call letter will be issued on November 25 to public bodies .
         2. Review, amend and consolidate the Public Investment Program submitted by Public bodies.
         3. The Public Investment program preparation & consolidation shall be completed by February 8.
      3. Preparation and Notification of a three year subsidy estimates.
         1. In accordance with the subsidy formula approved by the House of Federation, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development shall prepare and notify three year estimates of subsidy to Regional Governments and Administrative Councils.
         2. The preparation and notification of the three year subsidy estimates shall be completed by November 25.
      4. Annual Fiscal Plan Preparation
         1. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development shall prepare the Annual Fiscal Plan.
         2. The Annual Fiscal Plan shall be prepared by January, 24
   2. Budget Preparation                                                                Top

      The Ministry of Finance & Economic Development shall perform the following activities as specified in the financial calendar..

      1. Annual Subsidy Preparation
         1. In accordance with the approved subsidy formula, the Ministry of Finance & Economic Development shall prepare and notify annual subsidy budget to Regional Governments and Administrative Councils
         2. The preparation and notification of the annual subsidy estimates shall be completed by February 8.
      2. The Preparation of a Budget Call
         1. The Ministry of Finance & Economic Development will prepare the budget call letter and guidelines and issue it to public bodies.
         2. The budget call and guidelines shall be issued to public bodies by February 8
      3. Budget Review and Recommendation
         1. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development prepares the recommended budget based on the budget request of public bodies. Preparing the recommended budget is when the budget requests of public bodies are reviewed, adjusted and consolidated into a budget for both recurrent and capital expenditures. The requested recurrent and capital budget will be reviewed in relation to government policies and priorities, total expenditure ceiling and from the allocated ceilings of each public body.
         2. The recommended budget includes the Federal government recurrent and capital budget, the subsidies to Regional Governments and Administrative Councils and an estimate of resources.
         3. The recommended budget will be submitted to the Council of Ministers by May 23.
         4. Budget Notification
            1. Once the budget is approved and appropriated by the House of Peoples Representatives, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development will prepare the following:
               • The budget allocation guideline:
               • The notification to public bodies and their budget institutions of the source of finance and line item of expenditures.
            2. Notification of the approved budget to public bodies will be between July 8 to15.
7. Tasks to be accomplished by public bodies
   1. Plan Preparation                                                                        Top
      1. Public bodies shall submit their investment program within the specified submission time as they receive the public investment program

         call letter from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

      2. Public bodies shall submit their public investment program by December 25.
   2. Budget Preparation
      1. Public bodies shall perform all budget preparation activities /development of unit costs, mid-year program review and work plan development/ before the budget call is sent to them so that they can submit their budget request in time.
      2. The budget preparation shall be performed not later than Feb. 8
   3. Submission of Budget Requests
      1. Public bodies are responsible for preparing their budget request which begins when they receive the budget call letter and guideline from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
      2. If a public body fails to submit its budget request with the time specified in the budget call letter, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development shall recommend a public body's budget based on the information it has. 
      3. Public bodies shall submit their budget request not later than March 22.
   4. Submission of Budget Allocation
      1. Public bodies shall submit their action plan (physical and financial) together with budget allocation in accordance with the budget allocation guideline prepared by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
      2. Budget allocation and action plan should be submitted during July 16 to August 16
8. Tasks to be accomplished by the executive body
   1. Plan Approval                                                                     Top
      1. The Council of Ministers shall review and approve the Macro-Economic and Fiscal Framework prepared by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
      2. The Macro-Economic and Fiscal Framework shall be approved by the Council of Ministers between October 27 and Nov. 10.
   2. Budget Recommendation
      1. The Council of Ministers shall review and recommend the budget prepared by Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
      2. The Council of Ministers shall review and recommend the budget between May 23 to June 2.
      3. The recommended budget shall be submitted to the House of Peoples Representative for approval and appropriation not later than June 7.
9. Tasks to be accomplished by legislative body
   1. Approval and appropriation of the Recommended Budget. 
      1. The House of Peoples Representative shall review, amend and approve the recommended budget.
      2. The House of Peoples Representative shall vote an annual appropriation for the approved budget not later than July 7. The appropriation will specify: the total of the federal capital budget, recurrent budget, and regional subsidies: and , the total subsidy for each region.
      3. The administration of the annual appropriation will be governed by Proclamation No.57/1996 (the Financial Law) and the Council of Minister's Regulation No. 17/1997 (the Financial Regulation).
10. Financial Calendar Tables

    Attached here under are tables 1 and 2 which show the activities in No. 6 to 9 above, the responsible institutions and the time frame for each activity.

11. Effective date                                                                                       Top

    This directive shall come into force on ……..date 2004.

Addis Ababa...............Date, 2004
Sufian Ahmed
Minister of Finance and Economic Development.

Table 1

Financial Calendar

Table 2

Activities to be performed and Responsible Institutions