Publication: Timor-Leste Economic Report, July 2023: Ways to Harvest Prosperity
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Date
2023-08-25
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2023-08-25
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Timor-Leste’s economy continued its recovery in 2022, expanding by 3.9 percent, fueled by public consumption and investment. Private investment rose from an exceptionally low level while net exports continued to be a drag on growth. Headline inflation soared in March 2023 at 9.6 percent, spurred by significant increases in food and non-food prices. High inflation is part of a global trend driven by prices of tradable goods. Within Timor-Leste, the government’s policy of enforcing higher excise taxes on tobacco products, implementing import taxes, and applying excises to sugar and sugary beverages, partially drove the inflationary trend. To advance a reform agenda, the new government may want to consider institutionalizing fiscal consolidation through robust fiscal rules. Both revenue mobilization and expenditure rationalization efforts should not only be maintained but also enhanced. Given that significant increases in public spending have had a limited impact on Timor-Leste’s medium-term economic growth, it is possible to sustain growth levels with a reduced budget.
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“World Bank. 2023. Timor-Leste Economic Report, July 2023: Ways to Harvest Prosperity. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/40269 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
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