The IFMIS roll-out is intended by the GoE to be a strong driver of change and will

develop new functionalities that are currently not covered by the existing IBEX system.
Among these, the main ones are Program-Based Budgeting, Cash Management
Module and Treasury Management, reform of the Chart of Accounts, Debt
Management, Woreda level Payroll Management, Internal Audit and Communication.

IBEX is deployed in two configurations:

(a) Online version:

This is a web-based application where a multi-user version of IBEX is installed in a
regional data center (currently two BoFED: Addis Ababa and Tigray) to support online
transaction processing for all clients (currently 407 offices; or 21 percent of 1907 IBEX
sites) connected to the server on a virtual private network (VPN) established through
WoredaNet.

(b) Stand-alone (offline) version.

This version is used in locations where a reliable wide-area network (WAN) connectivity
does not exist. IBEX is being used as a stand-alone system to capture transactions at
the zone/woreda level (79 percent of IBEX sites). Nine data centers are currently
connected to WoredaNet, and most of the zone/woreda level sites are connected to
these regional data centers to transfer consolidated results. This feature was a major
asset of the IBEX system in the early days. However, with the rapid expansion of
WoredaNet connectivity, the MoFED is now in the process of moving to online
operations in all regions benefiting from renovated regional data centers starting from
2016. Expansion of WoredaNet is expected to improve IBEX operations at the Woreda
level gradually, until 2017. Additionally, IBEX needs ongoing support till such time that it
is replaced by an enhanced version or an alternative solution which will be linked with
the IFMIS system. IBEX currently has six modules that are functional.
In 2010, the FGE assessed IBEX as unable to support the introduction of program-
based budgeting (PBB).The advent of the Growth and Transformation Plan 2011–2015
(GTP) and the FGE commitment to meet Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
signified the emergence of PBB as a matter of high-priority reform. Since 2011, the
annual budgets have been presented in PBB formats, but these have been prepared
outside IBEX and are not applied during budget execution.9.In 2010, GoE acquired
Oracle’s e-business suite (including enterprise licenses) as the platform for an IFMIS
capable of supporting PBB and other PFM reforms. In September, 2010, GoE
commenced the IFMIS pilot project with the objective to rapidly replace IBEX--initially at
the federal level.