Publication: Assessing and Reforming Public Financial Management : A New Approach
Loading...
Date
2004
ISSN
Published
2004
Editor(s)
Abstract
This study is intended to help underpin a more coordinated, effective approach to assessing and reforming systems for public expenditure, procurement, and financial accountability in developing countries-especially countries that receive international aid for budget support. Such support, also known as adjustment lending, has become far more important in recent years. At the World Bank, for example, it increased from less than 10 percent of total assistance in the 1980s to about 50 percent in fiscal 2002. Many other development agencies are also increasing aid for budget support. This support has been accompanied by and reflects widespread recognition that aid is fungible and that resources can be transferred, so that aid intended for one project can effectively be used to finance another. Thus, efforts to safeguard the integrity of donor resources mean little without safeguards on the use of government resources. Moreover, growing awareness of the destructive effects of corruption -- emphatically underscored by the East Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 -- has given new urgency to donors' need to ensure that aid is not diverted to private ends or misallocated to activities not conducive to fostering growth and reducing poverty. For all these reasons it is important for donors and recipient governments alike that the strengths and weaknesses of national budget systems be well understood and that governments implement reforms where needed, especially in high-risk areas.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Allen, Richard; Schiavo-Campo, Salvatore; Columkill Garrity, Thomas. 2004. Assessing and Reforming Public Financial Management : A New Approach. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/15064 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Maldives : Public Expenditure Review(2002-12-06)The unifying theme of the public expenditure review is the growth and poverty focus of public expenditures, evolving around the question of how effective public expenditures are in addressing Maldives' overriding objective of reducing regional disparities and income poverty, particularly in the outer atolls. Since macroeconomic stability is a key prerequisite for sustained high economic growth and poverty reduction, the soundness of the fiscal framework and the issues of fiscal sustainability and contingent liabilities are examined in Chapter 2. The latter chapter also looks at the allocation of public expenditures along the key economic categories as well as by major sectoral/functional break-down, with specific recommendations for reform measures. Chapter 3 focuses on the institutional issues and challenges faced in public expenditure management, including the coordination of decision making and budgeting, planning and service delivery, and monitoring and evaluation. Sectoral allocations of public expenditures are evaluated in Chapter 4, with particular focus on education, health, and infrastructure. Sectoral public expenditures are evaluated in terms of their rationale for public sector intervention; determining the appropriate instrument for achieving technical efficiency; and their impacts/outcomes. Chapter 5 concludes by summing up overall reform priorities and discussing planned next steps and follow-up support activities to implement recommendations.Publication Kosovo Public Finance Review : Fiscal Policies for a Young Nation(Washington, DC, 2014-06)Kosovo is Europe s youngest country, both in terms of history and demographics. As part of the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo became a separate territory under United Nations administration in 1999, and declared its independence in 2008. By February 2014 it had been recognized by 106 UN member states including 23 out of 28 EU members. Kosovo is a potential candidate for European Union (EU) membership and is currently negotiating a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Commission. From 1999 Kosovo has been using the Deutsche Mark and, since 2002, its successor currency, the Euro, as legal tender. Kosovo is a landlocked country in South East Europe (SEE) with about 1.8 million inhabitants and a large migrant population based mainly in Western European countries. Kosovo has taken great strides to rebuild an economy destroyed by the collapse of Yugoslavia and the 1998-99 war, with sound fiscal numbers and budgets focused on capital expenditure. In general, Kosovo s headline macroeconomic indicators are also relatively sound. Growth has averaged over 4 percent since 2000 and remained positive after 2008 during the global crisis years. Household survey evidence for 2006-11 suggests that economic growth benefitted all sections of society but the poorest 40 percent of the population saw consumption rise faster than wealthier groups. Public and private investments have made large contributions toward economic growth over the last five years as efforts to rebuild the economy continued.Publication United Republic of Tanzania Public Expenditure Review FY03 : Managing Public Expenditures for Poverty Reduction - Report on Fiscal Developments and Public Expenditure Management Issues(Washington, DC, 2003-06-30)In line with the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) context, this external evaluation looks at budgetary developments, primarily through the lens of the PRS, thus with important implications for the Public Expenditure Review (PER) process, which has evolved into the principal analytic instrument to support the translation of PRS objectives and strategies, into budgets. Overall fiscal policy remained very conservative in FY02, and FY03. Tanzania continues to use a cash budget system that strictly constrains spending, and commitment levels to short term availability of cash. While the system was clearly useful, improvements in budget and aid management put the continued use of a cash budget system into question; thus it is advisable to revisit options for relaxing the stringency of the cash budget. Nevertheless, the revenue to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio, fell marginally to 12.1 percent in FY02, but is projected to reach 12.5 percent in FY03, therefore, with respect to new tax policy measures, it will be important to pay attention to the impact of such measures on poverty and growth. However, given that foreign assistance increased in FY02 to 5.9 percent of GDP, and is projected to increase to 7.9 percent in FY03, there is the need to pursue policies that would support Tanzania's international competitiveness, and minimize the potential "Dutch disease" effects of aid. Upon review of the micro-aspects of development assistance, it would be useful to improve the scope of the information, and in turn, the Ministry of Finance ( MoF) should routinely obtain this information, so as to incorporate/synchronize it with current aid flow data bases. Further recommendations address functional allocation of resources and distribution, requirements concerning auditing, and reporting standards, and, the inclusion of participatory monitoring and evaluation, as an important feedback mechanism into the PER process.Publication Nepal : Public Expenditure Review, Volume 1. Main Report(Washington, DC, 2000-04-11)The report is an overview of Nepal's economic development, comprising five volumes, which include the main report, followed by reviews on agricultural and rural development, on the social sectors, and, the transport sector. Although development progress is noteworthy in many areas, considerable evidence of improper resource spending exist, thus, the main objective of this report is to identify the incentives, and institutional factors that contributed to this spending, and propose recommendations. Systemic factors have consistently hindered implementation, and development results, such as deficient budget planning, resource allocation, and expenditure management, coupled with the lack of ownership of projects, and programs which contributed to poor performance. Institutional weakness, and governance issues remain the most critical aspects affecting effectiveness of public spending across sectors in Nepal. The report suggests that traditional budget reforms alone, will not be effective to improve public resource management, rather, changes in the political environment, and institutional capacity are required, prior to the much needed reforms. Given the fiscal constraints, the government should promote private participation to undertake economic activities, and, further enhance and promote, public involvement in social sectors development, and greater local ownership of public expenditure programs.Publication Nepal : 2000 Economic Update(Washington, DC, 2000-03-27)The report is one of the documents in support of discussions for an upcoming Nepal Development Forum meeting, and, updates the macroeconomic development, and performance of related key areas of the economy, specifically, the period following the last economic update of November 1997, focusing on the provision of an overall framework for the reform agenda. The study reviews the economic growth of the country, which, despite certain growth, enabled by a series of reforms in the late eighties, has slowed down in recent years, largely due to political instability. Consequently, economic performance has been unsatisfactory, with almost no progress in reducing poverty, nor in addressing structural reforms. Forceful actions to accelerate economic development are recommended, namely, to improve public resource management, by changing the role of the public sector, towards the improvement of public expenditures, and revenue reforms. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide a level playing field for the private sector vis-e-vis public enterprises, enhancing competitiveness, and, most importantly, to establish the rule of law, in support of private sector activities. Conclusions address critical issues, such as financial sector reforms, institutional capacity building, decentralization, and the promotion of ownership, and participation.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Zimbabwe(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2019-03-01)This report presents an assessment of Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector disaster risk and management capacity. The findings indicate that Zimbabwe is highly exposed to agricultural risks and has limited capacity to manage risk at various levels. The report shows that disaster-related shocks along Zimbabwe’s agricultural supply chains directly translate to volatility in agricultural GDP. Such shocks have a substantial impact on economic growth, food security, and fiscal balance. When catastrophic disasters occur, the economy absorbs the shocks, without benefiting from any instruments that transfer the risk to markets and coping ability. The increasing prevalence of ‘shock recovery-shock’ cycles impairs Zimbabwe’s ability to plan and pursue a sustainable development path. The findings presented here confirm that it is highly pertinent for Zimbabwe to strengthen the capacity to manage risk at various levels, from the smallholder farmer, to other participants along the supply chain, to consumers (who require a reliable, safe food supply), and ultimately to the government to manage natural disasters. The assessment provides the following evidence on sources of risks and plausible risk management solutions. It is our hope that the report contributes to action by the Government of Zimbabwe to adopt a proactive and integrated risk management strategy appropriate to the current structure of the agricultural sector.Publication The Power of Survey Design : A User's Guide for Managing Surveys, Interpreting Results, and Influencing Respondents(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2006)The vast majority of data used for economic research, analysis, and policy design comes from surveys-surveys of households, firms, schools, hospitals, and market participants, and, the accuracy of the estimate will depend on how well the survey is done. This innovative book is both a 'how-to' go about carrying out high-quality surveys, especially in the challenging environment of developing countries, and a 'user's guide' for anyone who uses statistical data. Reading this book will provide data users with a wealth of insight into what kinds of problems, or biases to look for in different data sources, based on the underlying survey approaches that were used to generate the data. In that sense the book is an invaluable 'skeptics guide to data'. Yet, the broad storyline of the book is something that should be absorbed by statistical data users. The book will teach and show how difficult it often is to obtain reliable estimates of important social and economic facts, and, therefore encourages you to approach all estimates with sensible caution.Publication World Development Report 2014(Washington, DC, 2013-10-06)The past 25 years have witnessed unprecedented changes around the world—many of them for the better. Across the continents, many countries have embarked on a path of international integration, economic reform, technological modernization, and democratic participation. As a result, economies that had been stagnant for decades are growing, people whose families had suffered deprivation for generations are escaping poverty, and hundreds of millions are enjoying the benefits of improved living standards and scientific and cultural sharing across nations. As the world changes, a host of opportunities arise constantly. With them, however, appear old and new risks, from the possibility of job loss and disease to the potential for social unrest and environmental damage. If ignored, these risks can turn into crises that reverse hard-won gains and endanger the social and economic reforms that produced these gains. The World Development Report 2014 (WDR 2014), Risk and Opportunity: Managing Risk for Development, contends that the solution is not to reject change in order to avoid risk but to prepare for the opportunities and risks that change entails. Managing risks responsibly and effectively has the potential to bring about security and a means of progress for people in developing countries and beyond. Although individuals’ own efforts, initiative, and responsibility are essential for managing risk, their success will be limited without a supportive social environment—especially when risks are large or systemic in nature. The WDR 2014 argues that people can successfully confront risks that are beyond their means by sharing their risk management with others. This can be done through naturally occurring social and economic systems that enable people to overcome the obstacles that individuals and groups face, including lack of resources and information, cognitive and behavioral failures, missing markets and public goods, and social externalities and exclusion. These systems—from the household and the community to the state and the international community—have the potential to support people’s risk management in different yet complementary ways. The Report focuses on some of the most pressing questions policy makers are asking. What role should the state take in helping people manage risks? When should this role consist of direct interventions, and when should it consist of providing an enabling environment? How can governments improve their own risk management, and what happens when they fail or lack capacity, as in many fragile and conflict-affected states? Through what mechanisms can risk management be mainstreamed into the development agenda? And how can collective action failures to manage systemic risks be addressed, especially those with irreversible consequences? The WDR 2014 provides policy makers with insights and recommendations to address these difficult questions. It should serve to guide the dialogue, operations, and contributions from key development actors—from civil society and national governments to the donor community and international development organizations.Publication World Development Report 2019(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2019)Work is constantly reshaped by technological progress. New ways of production are adopted, markets expand, and societies evolve. But some changes provoke more attention than others, in part due to the vast uncertainty involved in making predictions about the future. The 2019 World Development Report will study how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today. Technological progress disrupts existing systems. A new social contract is needed to smooth the transition and guard against rising inequality. Significant investments in human capital throughout a person’s lifecycle are vital to this effort. If workers are to stay competitive against machines they need to train or retool existing skills. A social protection system that includes a minimum basic level of protection for workers and citizens can complement new forms of employment. Improved private sector policies to encourage startup activity and competition can help countries compete in the digital age. Governments also need to ensure that firms pay their fair share of taxes, in part to fund this new social contract. The 2019 World Development Report presents an analysis of these issues based upon the available evidence.Publication Ten Steps to a Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation System : A Handbook for Development Practitioners(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2004)An effective state is essential to achieving socio-economic and sustainable development. With the advent of globalization, there are growing pressures on governments and organizations around the world to be more responsive to the demands of internal and external stakeholders for good governance, accountability and transparency, greater development effectiveness, and delivery of tangible results. Governments, parliaments, citizens, the private sector, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), civil society, international organizations, and donors are among the stakeholders interested in better performance. As demands for greater accountability and real results have increased, there is an attendant need for enhanced results-based monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs, and projects. This handbook provides a comprehensive ten-step model that will help guide development practitioners through the process of designing and building a results-based monitoring and evaluation system. These steps begin with a 'readiness assessment' and take the practitioner through the design, management, and importantly, the sustainability of such systems. The handbook describes each step in detail, the tasks needed to complete each one, and the tools available to help along the way.