Tanzania migrates debt data to CS-Meridian

 

Following the successful joint MEFMI/COMSEC fact-finding mission conducted in Tanzania in June 2022 and follow-up Commonwealth Secretariat-Debt Recording and Management System (CS-DRMS) data validation mission in July 2022, the Ministry of Finance of Tanzania migrated the country’s debt database from the CS-DRMS to CS-Meridian with the assistance of the Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC). The migration was followed by a joint MEFMI/COMSEC CS-Meridian training workshop from 26 September to 7 October 2022 in Arusha, Tanzania.

 

The workshop aimed to train country officials on the functionalities, use and IT support of the CS-Meridian. It also aimed to guide participants on how to conduct post-migration data validation. The training covered the various modules of the system, including recording loans and securities as well as related transactions such as disbursements and debt service. Participants were also trained on managing workflows in CS-Meridian as well as generating reports. To ensure the country maintains a comprehensive public sector and private external debt database, participants were trained on how to record and monitor other debt instruments such as accounts payable, special drawing rights, insurance, pension and standardised guarantee schemes in the system. The IT staff received training on CS-Meridian setup and support, user management, workflow management, software upgrade and data backup.

The resource persons in the training included Messrs. Mac Banda, Vikas Pandey, and Ms. Difie Boakye-Mensah from the Commonwealth Secretariat as well  Mr. Samuel Gitahi of the National Treasury of Kenya and Mr. Themba Dlamini, a MEFMI Graduate Fellow from the Central Bank of Eswatini.

Prepared by Josephine Tito