Publication:
Burundi - Public Expenditure Review : Improving the Efficiency of Public Investment

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
English PDF (980.03 KB)
372 downloads
English Text (177.68 KB)
125 downloads
Date
2010-10
ISSN
Published
2010-10
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
This report reviews the state of public expenditure in Burundi, with a focus on public investment, and recommends specific actions that need to be taken to stimulate growth and reduce poverty. Overall, the analysis indicates that poor performance in public expenditure and investment management are due to a number of factors. First, there is a lack of coordination among national institutions, and between those institutions and the donor community, which weakens the project selection process, implementation, and the integrity of procurement. Second, monitoring capacity is constrained by the lack of information about execution rates, and by inadequate audit and reporting mechanisms. Third, project performance is affected by disbursement delays and the volatility of external aid. Finally, in recent years, the significant increase in development spending has been mostly channeled toward the social sectors, with very limited public investment related to productive economic sectors such as infrastructure.
Link to Data Set
Citation
World Bank. 2010. Burundi - Public Expenditure Review : Improving the Efficiency of Public Investment. Public expenditure review (PER);. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/12575 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    Republic of Haiti - Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review (PEMFAR) : Improving Efficiency of the Fiscal System and Investing in Public Capital to Accelerate Growth and Reduce Poverty
    (Washington, DC, 2008-01) World Bank
    After the lost decade 1994-2004, marked by political instability and economic decline, Haiti has reformed significantly and revived growth, especially in the past three years. Macroeconomic policies implemented since mid-2004 helped restart economic growth, reestablish fiscal discipline, reduce inflation and increase international reserves. Financial sector stability has been maintained though weaknesses have emerged. Significant progress was also achieved in the implementation of economic governance measures, mainly in the area of legal framework, core public institutions and financial management processes and procedures. Notably, basic budget procedures were restored, the public procurement system strengthened, and anti-corruption efforts stepped up. Efforts were also made to improve efficiency and transparency in the management of public enterprises. These recent political and economic developments open a window of opportunity to break with Haiti's turbulent past and create the sound foundations for strong and sustained economic growth and poverty reduction. In such an environment, the development challenge of more dynamic growth in order to reduce poverty requires bold policy actions across a broad spectrum covering various areas of Government interventions to: (i) improve security; (ii) expand and improve the quality of the infrastructure base; (iii) expand the economic base and (iv) enhance human capital. But because of Haiti's scarce resources, prioritizing Government interventions is critical to ensure that public resources are allocated to their best uses. This calls for reforms to improve efficiency of public spending. However, public expenditure reforms would not be enough to decisively put Haiti on a strong and sustained growth path unless they are complemented by revenue-enhancing measures. This implies that the country design a comprehensive fiscal reform package. Major policy lesson from this experiment is that strong and sustainable growth depends on the scope and quality of the fiscal reforms. Fiscal reforms should target a broad-based fiscal package, which aims at expanding the fiscal space and improving efficiency in the allocation of public spending. This package would combine: (a) an increase in total public investment; (b) a reallocation of public spending to investment; (c) a crease in the effective indirect tax rate; (d) an increase in direct tax rate; (e) an increase in security spending; and (f) a reduction in collection costs. The Haiti macro-model shows that the fiscal package tends to have positive impact on growth and poverty over time. Foreign aid could play a catalytic role to foster fiscal reforms and help accelerate growth in the short and medium-term.
  • Publication
    Moldova Public Expenditure Review : Capital Expenditures - Making Public Investment Work for Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth in Moldova
    (Washington, DC, 2013-06) World Bank
    This public expenditure review (PER) for Moldova is the result of a body of programmatic fiscal work. This PER focuses on capital expenditure. It supports the first pillar of the country partnership strategy (improving economic competitiveness) and complements the 2012 development policy operation. In the context of economic recovery and stabilization, government requested World Bank assistance in improving its capital allocation mechanism, as its fiscal consolidation program attempted to create space for critical infrastructure whilst gradually reducing the state's footprint in the economy. This report recommends ways to strengthen public investment processes, institutions, and sector policies to achieve better outcomes for public capital expenditures in Moldova. This report suggests reforms in public investment management and sector policies to raise cost-effectiveness and allocative efficiency of capital expenditures. Three key areas of reform are: (i) raise the quality of new projects by improving preliminary screening and project appraisal mechanisms; (ii) improve selection of new projects and ensure continuity of funding for ongoing projects through better prioritization and budgeting processes; and (iii) strengthen monitoring of project implementation for cost efficiency and timely delivery of public services. The report has four chapters. The first chapter presents the macroeconomic outlook and its implications for fiscal policy, particularly with respect to the capital budget. The second chapter presents the structure and classification of the capital budget as well as recent trends in capital expenditure levels and execution, and reviews the adequacy of resource allocations and utilization across sectors, given investment needs, national priorities and implementation capacity. The third chapter reviews public investment management processes and presents recommendations to improve the efficiency of public capital expenditure in Moldova. The fourth chapter discusses specific sector challenges and offers recommendations for improving capital expenditure outcomes.
  • Publication
    Kyrgyz Republic Public Expenditure Review Policy Notes : Public Investment Management
    (Washington, DC, 2014-05) World Bank
    Weaknesses in the public investment management (PIM) system may limit the gains from higher public sector investments in the Kyrgyz Republic. Capital spending has averaged 6.4 percent of GDP since 2010, up from 4.6 percent of GDP between 2005 and 2009, with significant investment in the energy sector and roads. Still, it remains unclear to what extent these investment decisions reflect the country's and sector priorities. Few projects, with the exception of donor-financed projects are subject to rigorous appraisal and there is no systematic procedure in place to monitor implementation progress. As a result, projects are often delayed or stalled and cost over-runs are frequent. Donor-financed projects, which comprise the bulk of public investment, are subject to relatively more rigorous project cycle management; however, they too face some of the same weaknesses. The rest of the note is structured as follows: section two provides a diagnosis of the public investment portfolio, including the structure of expenditures, the quality of the data, and a quantitative assessment of the efficacy and effectiveness of the public investment portfolio. The assessment builds on previous work on public investment in the Kyrgyz Republic, in particular the Public Investment Diagnostic undertaken in 2012 under the Capacity Building in Economic Management (CBEM) project. Section three reviews the institutional and administrative framework of PIM in Kyrgyz Republic. This draws largely from the draft Investment Diagnostic Report prepared in December 2012 using the eight key 'must-have' features of a well-functioning public investments framework proposed in Rajaram et.al. (2011). Finally, section four includes a summary of the findings and detailed recommendations on improving PIM.
  • Publication
    Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe : Country Integrated Fiduciary Assessment, Volume 2. Public Expenditure Review
    (Washington, DC, 2007-06) World Bank
    This Integrated Fiduciary Assessment is the first of its kind for Sao Tome and Principe. It combines the analysis and policy recommendations from a public expenditure review (PER), a country financial accountability assessment (CFAA), and a country procurement assessment review (CPAR). The goal of the report is to identify the major challenges facing the country in the prepetroleum era (the next three to five years) in public finance management (including public enterprises) as it attempts to implement its National Poverty Reduction Strategy (NPRS) with a tight resource envelope. This executive summary presents recent economic developments and fiscal sustainability analysis that takes into account petroleum and no-petroleum scenarios, with corresponding analysis on which of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are reachable. The summary reports on revenue and expenditure performance since 2000-01, issues related to the implementation of the public investment program (PIP) and its coordination with the NPRS, and the budget process, including findings from the Health PER, which highlights a lack of allocative efficiency. The summary reports on the financial fragility of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the possible fiscal consequences for the central budget, especially regarding the implicit subsidies and tax breaks to (and the hypothetical tariff increases of) the electricity and water company. The summary of reports on the status of the public finance management system (budget preparation, execution, control, governance, and human resources) and the reform process that may address many of the concerns it rises. Finally, the summary presents the findings related to the procurement process, including the legislative and regulatory framework, institutional framework and management capacity, procurement operations and market practices, and integrity and transparency of the system.
  • Publication
    Lesotho Public Investment Management Efficiency Review
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-05-24) World Bank
    Lesotho is a small landlocked country with a homogenous population of 2.1 million. Lesotho's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita was 1,023 dollars and gross national income (GNI) per capita was 1,080 dollars in 2010. The country also faces numerous challenges to its social and human development. In this context, more attention on the role and quality of public investment is warranted. To improve public accountability and transparency, the Government of Lesotho (GoL) introduced the automated integrated financial management information system (IFMIS) in April 2009. The study directly responds to an explicit request of technical assistance from the ministry of finance and development planning (MoFDP) and aims at supporting the GoL in its major reform efforts to enhance the efficiency of public investment management (PIM) and increase the "value for money" in capital spending. The overarching objective of this study is to support the GoL in its efforts to prioritize public resource allocation and enhance efficiency in capital spending, with the ultimate goal of contributing to improved governance, service delivery, and economic growth. The work is aligned with the World Bank country assistance strategy (CAS) 2010 to 2014, in particular its first pillar on fiscal adjustment and public sector efficiency. This report emphasizes the complementary aspects of the institutions, incentives, capacity, and process-related constraints to the functioning of PIM. The focus of this report will also complement ongoing public financial management (PFM) support by other development partners. The report is presented in four chapters, which are organized as follows: chapter one offers a macro-level country analysis; chapter two presents recent trends in public investments; chapter three focuses on institution mapping and the diagnostic assessment of the PIM system; and chapter four concludes with policy implications.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    Remarks at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-10-12) Malpass, David
    World Bank Group President David Malpass discussed biodiversity and climate change being closely interlinked, with terrestrial and marine ecosystems serving as critically important carbon sinks. At the same time climate change acts as a direct driver of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss. The World Bank has financed biodiversity conservation around the world, including over 116 million hectares of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas, 10 million hectares of Terrestrial Protected Areas, and over 300 protected habitats, biological buffer zones and reserves. The COVID pandemic, biodiversity loss, climate change are all reminders of how connected we are. The recovery from this pandemic is an opportunity to put in place more effective policies, institutions, and resources to address biodiversity loss.
  • Publication
    Global Economic Prospects, January 2025
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16) World Bank
    Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.
  • Publication
    Global Economic Prospects, June 2023
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-06-06) World Bank
    Global growth is projected to slow significantly in the second half of this year, with weakness continuing in 2024. Inflation pressures persist, and tight monetary policy is expected to weigh substantially on activity. The possibility of more widespread bank turmoil and tighter monetary policy could result in even weaker global growth. Rising borrowing costs in advanced economies could lead to financial dislocations in the more vulnerable emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs). In low-income countries, in particular, fiscal positions are increasingly precarious. Comprehensive policy action is needed at the global and national levels to foster macroeconomic and financial stability. Among many EMDEs, and especially in low-income countries, bolstering fiscal sustainability will require generating higher revenues, making spending more efficient, and improving debt management practices. Continued international cooperation is also necessary to tackle climate change, support populations affected by crises and hunger, and provide debt relief where needed. In the longer term, reversing a projected decline in EMDE potential growth will require reforms to bolster physical and human capital and labor-supply growth.
  • Publication
    Economic Recovery
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-04-06) Malpass, David; Georgieva, Kristalina; Yellen, Janet
    World Bank Group President David Malpass spoke about the world facing major challenges, including COVID, climate change, rising poverty and inequality and growing fragility and violence in many countries. He highlighted vaccines, working closely with Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF, the World Bank has conducted over one hundred capacity assessments, many even more before vaccines were available. The World Bank Group worked to achieve a debt service suspension initiative and increased transparency in debt contracts at developing countries. The World Bank Group is finalizing a new climate change action plan, which includes a big step up in financing, building on their record climate financing over the past two years. He noted big challenges to bring all together to achieve GRID: green, resilient, and inclusive development. Janet Yellen, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, mentioned focusing on vulnerable people during the pandemic. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, focused on giving everyone a fair shot during a sustainable recovery. All three commented on the importance of tackling climate change.
  • Publication
    Media and Messages for Nutrition and Health
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-06) Calleja, Ramon V., Jr.; Mbuya, Nkosinathi V.N.; Morimoto, Tomo; Thitsy, Sophavanh
    The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has experienced rapid and significant economic growth over the past decade. However, poor nutritional outcomes remain a concern. Rates of childhood undernutrition are particularly high in remote, rural, and upland areas. Media have the potential to play an important role in shaping health and nutrition–related behaviors and practices as well as in promoting sociocultural and economic development that might contribute to improved nutritional outcomes. This report presents the results of a media audit (MA) that was conducted to inform the development and production of mass media advocacy and communication strategies and materials with a focus on maternal and child health and nutrition that would reach the most people from the poorest communities in northern Lao PDR. Making more people aware of useful information, essential services and products and influencing them to use these effectively is the ultimate goal of mass media campaigns, and the MA measures the potential effectiveness of media efforts to reach this goal. The effectiveness of communication channels to deliver health and nutrition messages to target beneficiaries to ensure maximum reach and uptake can be viewed in terms of preferences, satisfaction, and trust. Overall, the four most accessed media channels for receiving information among communities in the study areas were village announcements, mobile phones, television, and out-of-home (OOH) media. Of the accessed media channels, the top three most preferred channels were village announcements (40 percent), television (26 percent), and mobile phones (19 percent). In terms of trust, village announcements were the most trusted source of information (64 percent), followed by mobile phones (14 percent) and television (11 percent). Hence of all the media channels, village announcements are the most preferred, have the most satisfied users, and are the most trusted source of information in study communities from four provinces in Lao PDR with some of the highest burden of childhood undernutrition.