Publication:
Dividend Payments by State-Owned Enterprises Policies and Practices

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
English PDF (6.92 MB)
28 downloads
English Text (189.83 KB)
2 downloads
Published
2024-06-25
ISSN
Date
2025-10-10
Editor(s)
Abstract
This report addresses the importance of dividend policies for jurisdictions with profitable or potentially profitable state-owned enterprises (SOEs), against the background of current challenges in public finances and increasing pressures on SOEs to contribute revenues to the public purse. It explores how, and subject to what criteria, state-owners decide how much profit to distribute versus retain for future investments in commercially oriented SOEs where the state is a major shareholder. The report further attempts to establish good practices for dividend policies, and offers guidance to support state ownership entities in setting such policies.
Link to Data Set
Citation
OECD; World Bank. 2024. Dividend Payments by State-Owned Enterprises Policies and Practices. © OECD and World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/43832 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.
Digital Object Identifier
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Citations

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    Ukraine : System of Financial Oversight and Governance of State-Owned Enterprises
    (Washington, DC, 2011-02-22) World Bank
    The report focuses on the system of financial oversight and governance of state-owned enterprises in Ukraine. State-owned enterprises (SOEs) continue to represent a significant share of Ukraine's economy, and play a dominant role in sectors such as rail, transport, utilities, energy and telecommunications. These enterprises play an important role for the government by remitting dividend payments to the national treasury to fund the country's development agenda. At the same time, these same enterprises government receive fiscal support through a transfer of budgetary resources, issuance of guarantees for enterprise debt, facilitation to lines of credit, and other financial instruments. Ukraine's SOE sector has a wide range of ownership and management schemes. The basic legal framework for SOE oversight, defined in the Commercial Code of Ukraine, provides for the delegation of responsibilities across several ministries/agencies. As a result, there are overlapping roles across different government institutions, and gaps with regard to active monitoring and oversight. In practice, the SOE oversight function of the line ministries is primarily exercised through a review of the reports submitted by the SOEs on the implementation of financial plans. However, the review is typically light, and its efficiency is undermined by the limited clarity of the operating objectives for SOEs, and limited usefulness of the performance management framework. Moreover, the underlying data used to measure performance indicators is not validated and its reliability is uncertain. Even though the current performance management framework can be improved, performance evaluations are not conducted for a substantial number of SOEs which seriously undermines the effectiveness of oversight.
  • Publication
    Synthesis of Review of Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Mauritania
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2010-07-01) Bouri, Mazen; Nankobogo, Francois; Frederick, Rich
    This synthesis paper is based on a review of three countries in West Africa-Burkina Faso, Mali, and Mauritania where state owned enterprises (SOEs) continue to play an important role and Governments have embarked on a number of public sector reforms are intended to have a positive impact on SOEs. SOE governance practices and problems are having strong similarities in all of the countries reviewed. These commonalities can be ascribed to the fact that all of the countries are transitioning from centrally controlled economic and political traditions to more liberal economies and to a more democratic government. All are facing challenges with implementing the legal structures left behind from colonial times. The data that is available shows that wholly-owned and state controlled SOEs under perform. Many are technically insolvent and survive only through government support. Their performance is not only poor in the financial area but also in the provision of needed social services. The country studies link the poor performance of SOEs, in particular wholly-owned SOEs, to their governance practices. Long-lasting reforms are not simply a matter of plugging holes in the legislative or institutional framework. Corporate governance is the result of a complex interplay of law, practice, institutions and culture. Action plans need to take into account incentives and the political, social and cultural context of corporate governance in the country in addition to the legal framework. Indeed, SOE governance is a system and making it work better requires a systems approach. Most reform plans in the past have focused on one or another element of SOE governance, which might explain why many have fallen short of hopes and expectations. Systems approaches, on the other hand, are important in complex organizations (such as SOEs) whose success depends upon the interaction and cooperation of other organizations and institutions. This synthesis paper presents the objectives and the methodology used in carrying out the reviews followed by a discussion of the features and importance of SOEs in each of the countries studied. It then segues into a discussion on the performance of SOEs which is supplemented by case studies of both successful and unsuccessful SOEs and key lessons learned the paper then presents the current Government initiatives for reform and the remaining challenges and recommendations. The paper concludes with suggestions on how to implement the recommendations based on examples from other countries that have embarked on comprehensive governance reforms for the SOE sector.
  • Publication
    Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises in Latin America : Current Trends and Country Cases
    (World Bank Group, Washington, DC, 2014-07) World Bank
    The main objective of this report is to provide a descriptive analysis of the current practices and trends of corporate governance of State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) in several Latin-American countries. It provides practitioners of SOE corporate governance with a stocktaking of current practices and trends in several Latin American countries, as well as international experiences and good practices elsewhere. This report intend to contribute to the discussion and growing interest on SOE corporate governance and to provide an impulse for further analytical work in this area. In most Latin American and Caribbean countries, the SOE sector contributes significantly to GDP and represents an important part of consolidated public expenditures. In several cases, the SOEs are also key and strategic actors in the country s economy providing essential goods and services and frequently hold a dominant market position in critical sectors, such as petroleum, electricity, and transportation. They also operate in competitive markets such as financial services, telecommunications, etc. SOEs are also increasingly under pressure, by both their governments and by international competition, to operate and achieve their goals more efficiently and effectively. Within this context, achieving good corporate governance practices is critical to SOEs effectively providing goods and services and achieving their short-, medium-, and long-term goals, within a sustainable fiscal framework. This report has been prepared with the direct collaboration of government officials involved in the SOE sectors of eight countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Spain. It is mainly based on financial information and other relevant data on the above-mentioned countries, covering the period from 2010 to 2013. As part of data collection for the report, representatives of the SOE sectors in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain and Uruguay, attended the Technical Workshop on SOE Supervision in Latin American and Caribbean Countries, organized by the SOE Monitoring Unit of Paraguay and the World Bank in December 2011 in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
  • Publication
    Tajikistan : Fiscal Risks from State-Owned Enterprises
    (Washington, DC, 2014-06) World Bank
    This policy note is part of the World Bank's Programmatic Public Expenditure Review (PER) work program for FY2012-2014. The PER consists of a series of fiscal policy notes, which aim at providing the Government of Tajikistan with recommendations to strengthen budgetary processes and analysis. This policy note, the fifth in the series continues the fiscal policy dialogue conducted in the previous notes. It is structured as follows. Chapter 2 reviews the role of state-owned enterprises (SOE) in Tajikistan's economy and identifies key issues. Chapter 3 assesses the fiscal risks posed by SOEs, especially those in the energy sector. Chapter 4 puts forth possible solutions. Chapter 5 summarizes the main conclusions of this note: 1) despite privatizations and attempts at restructuring, Tajikistan still has a large, inefficient, and heavily indebted public sector; 2) the lack of comprehensive information about the sector undermines budget credibility and budget integrity; 3) multiple but uncoordinated functions, responsibilities, and accountability lines limit government ability to form a comprehensive view of the SOE sector, define a consistent strategy, and effect transparency, performance, reporting, and oversight; 4) elaborate QFAs of SOEs and other public institutions create substantial fiscal risks and undermine the hard-earned benefits of fiscal consolidation; 5) liabilities, explicit and implicit, created by SOE operations are large and must be accounted for and properly delineated; 6) solutions proposed to address the major issues are phasing out QFAs, optimizing the size and scope of the SOE sector, and improving SOE management; and 7) SOE reform should be an integral part of the general reform agenda.
  • Publication
    Governance Reforms of State-Owned Enterprises
    (Washington, DC, 2015-08) World Bank
    The state-owned enterprise (SOE) landscape has become increasingly diverse. There used to be some relatively well-defined criteria, but with the growing complexity of state participation in the economy, there is no longer a uniform definition, and especially because the definition of a SOE has always been country-specific. SOE reforms can have major positive impacts not only by reducing fiscal risks by decreasing hidden subsidies, direct transfers, and overstaffing, but also by strengthening competition and developing capital markets. SOE reforms in developing countries began in the 1960s because of the poor performance of many of the SOEs. The reform movement sought to strengthen the internal capacity of SOEs. To enrich the discussion about possible avenues for performance-enhancing SOE reforms, this report presents the main principles of good governance of SOEs with references to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines on corporate governance of SOEs (OECD 2005). This document is divided into six parts: (1) an effective legal and regulatory framework for SOEs; (2) the state as an owner; (3) equitable treatment of shareholders; (4) relations with stakeholders; (5) transparency and disclosure; and (6) the responsibilities of the boards of SOEs.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    Uganda Country Climate and Development Report
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-09-10) World Bank Group
    The Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) for Uganda examines the interplay between climate change and development. It presents how addressing climate change can support achieving the goals in Uganda’s Vision 2040 and Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, and help propel the country to upper-middle-income status. Uganda is the 14th most vulnerable nation to climate change, yet it is 163rd in readiness to address these risks, facing threats such as droughts and floods. The report highlights that, of the poorest households exposed to climate change, 80 percent already experience income loss from climate shocks. GDP could also drop by up to 3.1 percent by 2050 without additional climate action. Climate change poses numerous challenges, including increased variability in crop yields, potential internal climate migration of 12 million people by 2050, notable drop in labor productivity due to heat stress, increased health risks from waterborne diseases and malaria, and exposure of the country’s physical infrastructure to extreme climate events. To combat these challenges, the report recommends transitioning to a low-carbon, climate-resilient growth path by implementing four multisectoral intervention packages. These include boosting resilience through jobs for youth and services for the poor; promoting resilient and productive agriculture and natural resources with lower GHG emissions; developing climate-responsive energy, transport, and digital infrastructure; and fostering planned and climate-positive urbanization. Additionally, the report calls for whole-of-economy measures that strengthen governance of climate action, enhance preparedness for climate hazards including through improved early warning systems, operationalization of the national climate finance strategy, and incentivizing private sector participation. By implementing these intervention packages and whole-of-economy measures, Uganda can lower its risk to climate change and achieve sustainable economic growth.
  • Publication
    Commodity Markets Outlook, October 2025
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-10-29) World Bank
    Commodity prices are expected to decline by about 7 percent overall this year, reflecting subdued global economic activity, elevated trade tensions and policy uncertainty, ample global supply of oil, and weather-related supply shocks. In 2026, commodity prices are forecast to fall by a further 7 percent, a fourth consecutive year of decline, as global growth remains sluggish and the oil market oversupplied. Energy price movements are envisaged to continue contributing to global disinflation in 2026. Metals and minerals prices are expected to remain stable in 2026, while agricultural prices are projected to edge down, primarily due to strong supply conditions. Precious metals prices are expected to rise another 5 percent, after a historically large, investment-driven rally of about 40 percent in 2025. Risks to the commodity price projections are tilted to the downside. Key downside risks include weaker-than-expected global growth, a longer-than-assumed period of economic policy uncertainty, and additional oversupply of oil. Upside risks include intensifying geopolitical tensions, the market impact of additional oil sanctions, supply reductions stemming from additional trade restrictions, unfavorable weather conditions, faster-than-expected rollout of new data centers. Commodity price volatility in recent years has revived interest in supply management via international commodity agreements. Historical experience, however, shows that the most effective policy is to promote diversification, innovation, transparency, and market-based pricing—measures that build lasting resilience to commodity price volatility.
  • Publication
    Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem Accounts and Policy Recommendations: A Regional Synthesis Report of Ecosystem Extent, Condition, Services, and Asset Accounts 2000-2020
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-08-01) World Bank Group
    This regional synthesis report of the Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem Accounts (2000-2020) compiled from data for each these six countries (namely: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Republic of Congo. Ecosystem accounting enables countries to assess the value of their ecological capital, a key component of national wealth, by monitoring changes in ecosystem extent, condition, and ecosystem services in both physical and monetary terms. The accounts follow the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) Ecosystem Accounting methods, a standardized framework that uses concepts, definitions, and classifications consistent with the System of National Accounts (SNA). The individual country reports are also available. The value of domestic benefits provided by the forest ecosystems is significant, ranging from one percent of GDP for Equatorial Guinea to 15.4 percent of GDP for the Central African Republic. With global climate regulation being especially important, reflecting more than 95 percent of the value in most countries. Forest ecosystems in the Congo Basin retained around 90.9 billion tons of carbon in 2020, equivalent to 333.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide, which is 10x the amount of the total global emissions from the energy sector in 2020 (34.5 billion tons). The total asset value of the Congo Basin’s forests has almost doubled from US$ 12.3 trillion in 2000 to US$ 23.2 trillion in 2020. The overall asset value without the global public good value of climate change regulation stood at US$ 106 billion in 2000 and US$ 154 billion in 2020. While the total asset values are increasing, the per capita values are not keeping up with population growth. If one excludes the global public good value of carbon the picture becomes more negative, with a decrease in per capita of forests across all countries. These accounts should be institutionalized and enhanced periodically to inform policy and planning. The Congo Basin forests offer substantial ecological benefits, many of which remain unmonetized. These forest ecosystem accounts can improve understanding and inform policy development relating to the natural resource management sectors and those that impact on these assets, and on monetization of these critical ecosystem services.
  • Publication
    Sahel Irrigation Strategy
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-09-05) World Bank
    The Sahel Irrigation Strategy aims to guide participating countries to scale up irrigation expansion and modernization rapidly and responsibly with a more diverse suite of interventions to optimize the use of their natural and financial resources. It provides a comprehensive roadmap to unlock the full potential of sustainable irrigation as a driver of agricultural productivity, food security, and resilience across the Sahel. Its primary objectives include taking stock of the progress achieved over the past decade, identifying emerging trends and challenges, and moving beyond problem identification to actionable solutions rooted in lessons learned. The strategy establishes updated and shared goals for irrigated agriculture tailored to short-term (2035), medium-term (2045), and long-term (2055) horizons. These targets are accompanied by a clear framework for intervention, designed to foster collective commitment and coordinated efforts among the six Sahelian countries.
  • Publication
    Togo Economic Update, August 2025: Boosting Growth and Restoring Fiscal Space in Uncertain Times
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-08-28) World Bank
    Togo’s economic trajectory in recent years has been shaped by both resilient performance and emerging vulnerabilities. The 2025 Economic Update underscores the urgency of restoring fiscal space and implementing strategic structural reforms to sustain private sector-led growth and job creation. Through an integrated analysis in two chapters, the report presents a nuanced narrative of the country’s macroeconomic outlook and delineates actionable policy paths to foster inclusive, sustainable development.