Ministry of Finance Launches IPSAS Certification to Strengthen Financial Expertise in the Federal Government

• Launched in partnership with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
• Aims to train and certify 100 specialised federal government financial professionals by 2025.
• A key milestone in the financial and accounting capacity-building project.

Dubai, February 18, 2025

The Ministry of Finance has launched the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) certification in collaboration with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), in yet another move that is set to bolster strategic partnerships and reinforce its position as a global leader in public finance.

The certification programme, which began with a training session in Dubai from February 17 to 21, 2025, aims to develop the expertise of financial professionals across federal ministries and entities. Participants included financial managers, department heads specialising in finance and accounting, and accountants.

The launch of this certification is part of the Financial and Accounting Capacity-Building Project for financial professionals in the federal government, within the framework of governmental collaboration and integration.

The IPSAS certification is designed to address the growing needs of financial and accounting professionals at the federal level by improving their analytical and technical capabilities to navigate complex accounting challenges while ensuring compliance with international financial reporting standards. The programme aims to certify and graduate 100 public sector professionals by 2025.

Resource Optimisation

Her Excellency Mariam Mohamed Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of the Government Financial Management Sector at the Ministry of Finance, said, 'The launch of the IPSAS certification, in partnership with ACCA, reaffirms the Ministry's commitment to enhancing financial efficiency and improving transparency in the preparation of government financial reports.”

“This initiative will not only support our ongoing efforts to transition to international accounting standards, and strengthen financial governance, but will also ensure the optimal use of government resources and contribute to financial sustainability. Additionally, qualifying financial personnel in the federal government according to the latest global standards will further enhance the readiness of government entities to adapt to rapid economic changes, boosting their competitiveness on both the local and international stages.'

“The IPSAS certification programme is a significant step in the right direction. It will bolster the Ministry of Finance's recently launched financial and accounting capacity-building project. The latter aims to equip accountants and financial professionals in federal entities with the skills needed to adopt accrual-based accounting standards, ensuring the UAE's leadership in financial innovation and governance,” Al Amiri added.

Promoting Transparency

The partnership with ACCA will play a key role in empowering government employees to implement international accounting standards effectively, enhancing transparency and financial efficiency. This, in turn, improves the quality of financial reporting and ensures greater accuracy in the data used for decision-making.

The workshop is part of the partnership agreement signed between the Ministry of Finance and ACCA back in November 2024, which outlines the launch of three specialised certifications in 2024 and 2025: the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Certificate (CERT IPSAS), Certificate in Public Financial Management (Cert PFM), and the Certificate in Sustainability for Finance (Cert SF)