Jim Ebbitt, President of ICGFM, Opens the 24th Annual Conference in Miami

James Ebbitt, President of the International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management (ICGFM) opened the 24th Annual International Conference in Miami USA. The theme of the conference is "Public Financial Management in the Era of the New Normal." Mr. Ebbitt of Mosley and Associates, said that the greatest benefit of the conference is networking - to share good practices across countries. He emphasized the ICGFM mission of improved global financial management.

Mr. Ebbitt suggested that government budgets are under siege. "The new normal is frightening". He called on financial managers in government around the world to improve fiscal discipline. He believes that the answers that government professionals are looking for may be in the room today. Mr. Ebbitt said that the "new normal" of the post-financial crisis world requires increased transparency and accountability in government.

Mr. Ebbitt is formerly the Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and has worked extensively with Supreme Audit Institutions in foreign countries.