Fiscal Transparency and Accountability Initiative

Goal:​ To promote transparent, accountable, and integrity-driven public investment and infrastructure governance in Zambia by strengthening oversight mechanisms and preventing corruption risks in infrastructure projects.

Objectives

• Promote integrity in infrastructure governance by identifying corruption risks at an early stage.
• Strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations and stakeholders to apply the Infrastructure Corruption Risk Assessment Tool (ICRAT).
• Generate evidence and policy recommendations to improve Public Investment Management systems.
• Promote transparency and public participation in large-scale infrastructure investment decisions.

Budget: ZMW 891,641.04

Duration: August 2025 – June 2026

Implementing Partners

• Transparency International Australia (TI Australia) – Lead Implementing Agency.
• Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) – National Implementing Partner.
• Transparency International Secretariat (TI-S) – Funding Partner.

Beneficiaries

• Civil society organizations and networks.
• Government institutions involved in Public Investment Management.
• Policymakers and oversight institutions.
• Private sector stakeholders.
• Communities and citizens affected by infrastructure investments.
• The wider public through improved transparency and accountability in the use of public resources.

Infrastructure development is among the sectors most vulnerable to corruption, with inefficiencies and weak oversight leading to significant losses, particularly in low-income countries. In Zambia, major public projects have exposed challenges related to weak project appraisal processes, non-transparent procurement practices, and growing public debt. These challenges have undermined fiscal sustainability and the effectiveness of public investments.

The Fiscal Transparency and Accountability Initiative (FTAI) seeks to address these issues by strengthening transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in Public Investment Management (PIM).

The FTAI Project aims to enhance fiscal transparency and accountability in public infrastructure management through the application of the Infrastructure Corruption Risk Assessment Tool (ICRAT). The initiative supports evidence-based decision-making, strengthens citizen oversight, and promotes reforms that ensure public investments deliver sustainable and equitable development outcomes.

• Improved transparency and accountability in infrastructure governance.
• Increased capacity of civil society to monitor public investments.
• Enhanced stakeholder collaboration and public awareness.
• Policy recommendations incorporated into Public Investment Management reforms.
• More efficient and transparent management of infrastructure investments.

• Strengthening fiscal transparency and accountability.
• Integrating corruption risk assessments into public investment processes.
• Improving Public Investment Management reforms.
• Building the capacity of civil society and key stakeholders.
• Promoting citizen participation and public oversight.
• Generating evidence-based policy recommendations.
• Supporting sustainable and ethical infrastructure financing and governance.