Public debt and finance
DFI and its partners have developed a comprehensive capacity building programme in debt strategy and public finance, which includes in-country workshops and missions as well as regional events and a distance learning programme.
All national workshops and missions are tailored to meet country-specific capacity building needs in all aspects of debt strategy analysis, debt sustainability, external debt relief and legal and institutional issues, as well as new external financing strategy, aid, non-concessional external financing and domestic financing strategy.
Latest work DFI carried out in this area:
2012-16 Latin American Capacity Building Programme in Public Debt Management
Managed by CEMLA and funded by the Secretariat for Economic Cooperation of the Swiss Government, the Capacity Building Programme in Public Debt Management (PDP) was launched in 2012 to deliver tailor-made capacity-building support in public debt management to Latin American countries. Read more...
January-February 2013 - Debt Policy Mission in South Sudan
DFI conducted the final debt policy support mission to support the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in South Sudan. The mission, funded by the joint donor Capacity Building Trust Fund, had three aims: to finalise the South Sudan Debt Policy for approval by the Government; to finalise plans for institutional strengthening and capacity-building support on debt management to be provided to Government institutions as well as Parliament; and to provide any updated short-term advice on current borrowing issues.
10-17 December 2012 - Financing Strategy Workshop in Haiti
As part of the Debt Management Capacity Building Program managed by CEMLA and financed by CIDA, a joint CEMLA/DRI mission went to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to hold a first national Financing Strategy workshop. This event enabled participants from the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Haiti and the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation to draft their own debt strategy document structured around 4 main points: how to mobilize financing for development, how to maintain debt sustainability, conducting a cost/risk analysis and reducing long term dependence on external financing. The document is currently being finalised and will be submitted to the Haitian authorities for approval, in time for their 2013-2014 budget.
25 Nov - 12 Dec 2012 - Reform Plan mission to Tonga
A joint World Bank/DRI mission visited Nuku’Alofa, Kingdom of Tonga. The objective of the mission was to prepare a reform plan for debt management, and the recommendations were structured around four key areas: Medium Term Debt Strategy, Operational Risks, Coordination and Staff Capacity. The mission prepared a draft to be submitted to peer reviews and then to the Tongan authorities for their comments. A final report is scheduled to be completed by January 2013.
19-30 November 2012 - Reform Plan Mission to CAR
At the request of the Central African authorities, a World Bank/UNCTAD/DRI visited Bangui to formulate a reform plan of the country's public finances. Together with CAR's technical and financial partners, the mission identified 4 key areas around which the plan should be structured: institutional and legal framework, exterior loans procedures, development of domestic financial markets, treasury management and operational risks. A draft reform plan has been submitted to the national institutions and donors for consideration until its final adoption by the authorities.
12-16 November 2012 - MTDS Francophone Regional Workshop
DRI coordinated for the World Bank Debt Management Facility (DMF) a regional MTDS training workshop in Dakar, Senegal, facilitated by World Bank and DRI consultants, which attracted 44 participants from 19 Francophone countries and institutions. The workshop introduced participants to the toolkit developed to assist governments to develop an MTDS. The training also familiarised them with the analytical tool through a series of exercises enabling them to quantify and measure the performance of alternative debt management strategies under different shock scenarios.
10-20 November 2012 - DeMPA Mission to Kosovo
A joint mission of the World Bank and DRI visited Pristina, Kosovo to evaluate the country's debt management, based on the DeMPA methodology elaborated by the BWIs. As part of the review, the mission held meetings with all the institutions involved in debt management. A draft report has been prepared which has been sent for peer review before being submitted to the country's authorities within the forthcoming weeks.
31 October - 2 November 2012 - MTDS Training Seminar in Washington
DRI participated at an MTDS training seminar for trainers in Washington DC. Various Implementing Partners, such as Crown Agents and Commonwealth Secretariat and various economists from different departments at The World Bank participated at the event. The training included presentations and practical exercises, as well as providing feedback to the Bank on further MTDS development.
9-19 October 2012 - MTDS Mission to Ethiopia
A joint IMF/World Bank/MEFMI/DRI mission went to Addis Ababa to conduct a medium-term debt strategy. About 25 staff from the Debt Directorate, Treasury Department and the Central Bank participated in the workshop to learn about the IBW methodology. A draft aide-memoire was prepared and shared with the Ethiopian authorities for comments. They will next elaborate their own debt strategy based on the results of the workshop and aide-memoire's recommendations.
12-20 September 2012 - MTDS Mission to Côte d’Ivoire
After reaching completion point, Côte d'Ivoire hosted an IMF/World Bank mission in Abidjan in order to formulate a medium term debt strategy document, with DRI as technical partner. The analysis of the existing debt revealed the challenges of clearing domestic arrears, of recapitalising of public banks and the weight of debt service on the 2013-2015 budget. Simulations led to proposals for a reference strategy, as well as alternative strategies in case of shocks in order to respond to the country's challenges of its development financing programme while securing debt sustainability.
11-20 September 2012 - MTDS Mission to Cameroon
MTDS Mission to Cameroon. DFI took part in a joint World Bank/IMF mission to Yaoundé, Cameroonm, to provide Governement and Central Bank officials with assistance in formulating a medium-term debt strategy. The mission focused its training on concepts and notions of debt strategy, the use of strategy formulation tool through applied exercises, and on evaluating costs and risks linked to the existing debt portfolio and those linked to alternative strategies. Results were later presented by participants who were also given a complete tool kit for the formulation of a medium-term debt strategy.
June-September 2012 – Mutual Accountability Support to Afghanistan
DFI provided support to the Government of Afghanistan and UK DfID in preparing the content and implementation mechanisms for the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework, through which Afghanistan and its donors will hold one another responsible for the delivery of promises made at the Tokyo donor conference in July 2012. The main focus of the work was on reducing conditionality levels for Afghanistan, increasing accountability targets for donors, and suggesting strong implementation mechanisms and closer coordination with New Deal initiatives.
30 July - 8 August 2012 – Reform Plan Mission to Burundi
DRI took part in a World Bank mission aimed at producing a reform plan of Burundi’s publicdebt management. The plan focused on 4 priority areas: legal and institutional framework; operational risks; forecast and treasury management and debt management’s publication, analysis and strategy. The action plan and implementation schedule were subsequently shared with the authorities at a results’ dissemination and information sharing session.
13-22 July 2012 – Reform Plan Mission in Vietnam
A joint World Bank/DRI mission visited Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The objective of the mission was to prepare a reform plan for debt management, and the recommendations were structured around four key areas: institutional arrangements, debt policy and strategy, cash management, and operational risk management. The mission prepared a draft to be submitted to peer reviews and then to the Vietnamese authorities for their comments. A final report is scheduled to be completed by mid-August 2012.
3-10 June 2012 - MTDS Mission in Mauritania
DFI joined the World Bank and IMF/AFRITAC Ouest in Nouakchott to conduct an MTDS mission. The mission trained the Debt Committee in the MTDS methodology, and participants drafted the MTDS report with the consultants’ assistance. Results were presented to the national public debt committee as well as to the Ministers for Finance and for Economic Affairs and Development during a closing session attended by World Bank and IMF resident representatives.
30 May – 8 June 2012 – MTDS Mission in Tajikistan
A joint DFI and World Bank mission visited Tajikistan. The mission took place at the request of the Ministry of Finance, and focused on providing technical assistance in debt management strategy formulation. The mission shared the Bank-Fund framework for Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy (MTDS) development, and jointly with a government team, applied it to Tajikistan. In the process, the team provided training on basic cost-risk analysis, data preparation, and preparation of a debt management strategy document.
23 April - 3 May & 13-30 March 2012 - Launch of Capacity Building Missions in Haïti
As part of the Debt Management Capacity Building Program managed by the Centro Estudios Monetarios de Latinamerica (CEMLA) and financed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), CEMLA/DRI visited Port-au-Prince for 2 joint capacity building missions. The first one aimed at enhancing capacity in debt sustainability and debt strategy and to update the public debt database in order to prepare the various debt data projections and macroeconomic projections required for the debt sustainability analysis and Medium Term Debt Strategy (MTDS). Read more...
23 January - 2 February 2012 – Reform Plan Mission to Comoros
A joint DFI-World Bank mission was held in Comoros in order to put together a reform plan of debt management. The mission met with national institutions to identify capacity building activities in debt management in terms of governance, debt strategy, and operational risks. Training was also provided in interpreting DSA results, report drafting, treasury management and operational risks. The reform plan was submitted to the national authorities who agreed to its implementation.
5 to 15 Dec 2011 – Debt Relief Capacity Building Training Seminar in Sudan
At the request of the national authorities, a mission from DRI travelled to Sudan in order to assist the Government in its preparations for the HIPC Initiative. The mission had three main objectives: 1) Provide practical training to Government officials on the various aspects of debt relief and Debt Relief Analysis. 2) Assist officials in preparing for a National DRA Workshop in March of 2012 and 3) Assist Government to finalise preparations of the proposal, budget and results matrix for the 3-year Debt Strategy and Analysis Capacity Building Programme. The mission was part of a program being financed by the Government of Switzerland to support debt management in Sudan.
13-16 September 2011 - Final HIPC CBP Mission to Ethiopia
The final mission of the HIPC Debt Strategy and Analysis Capacity-Building Programme (see http://www.hipc-cbp.org/) was conducted by DFI and a Zambian expert, fittingly to Ethiopia which made major strides in improving its debt strategy capacity under the CBP. The mission agreed with the Government on a debt strategy and analysis capacity-building programme for potential donor funding.
5-11 September 2011 - Targets Designed to Improve Partnership in Uganda
DFI conducted the final mission of the Uganda Partnership Policy project funded by DfID. The mission achieved its three aims: to draft targets for development partners to improve their aid to Uganda; to redraft a MoU to be signed by Uganda and its partners to implement the policy; and to make recommendations for capacity-building support to be provided to government, parliament and civil society in order to ensure the policy is successfully implemented. The policy is currently being approved by Cabinet and will begin to be implemented in 2012.
July - September 2011 - Final Aid & Auditing Missions in Guinea
Two DFI experts have conducted their final two missions in Guinea in keeping with the national capacity building programme in aid management, and audit and control. After launching a training programme for Ministry of Finance executives and public investment experts, the consultants are now finalising a national manual of procedures for the management and control of public investment projects.
25 July - 5 August 2011 - Southern Sudan Debt Policy and Capacity Building Mission
DFI was funded by the Joint Donor Capacity Building Trust Fund for Southern Sudan to help the Government of the newly-independent Republic of Southern Sudan to examine policy options for post-independence development financing – especially borrowing on concessional terms – and the institutional and capacity-building measures required to establish a debt management unit well coordinated with wider economic policymaking. To read more on Southern Sudan’s debt, click here.
As one of the last missions of the HIPC Debt Strategy and Analysis Capacity Building Programme, Development Finance International conducted a mission to Nouakchott to help the Government examine options for diversifying sources of development financing away from concessional OECD aid. The mission designed a plan for diversification and for reinforcing Mauritania's institutional structures to manage all development financing, which will be finalized with Government by the end of Q3.
11-22 July 2011 - Tajikistan Debt Management Reform Plan Mission
A joint Development Finance International and World Bank mission visited Dushanbe to conduct a Reform Plan mission in July. The mission met the various officials involved in debt management and with their input prepared a reform plan that contains short and medium-term recommendations, capacity building needs and their costings. The draft report was finalized and has been sent for peer review.
26-29 April 2011 - MEFMI - Malawi Debt Sustainability Analysis Workshop
A successful DSA workshop with 22 participants was conducted by MEFMI as part of the HIPC CBP, to support the Malawi government by training staff in the use of the DSF tools. At the end of the workshop a draft DSA report was submitted to senior officials for comments. The exercise revealed that Malawi remains sustainable even in the presence of serious shocks and decline of GDP growth. The results of this DSA will feed into the 2011/12 budget framework and the review of the MTDS planned for the end of 2011.
7 April - 30 June 2011 - Technical Assistance to Guinea
DFI is currently providing technical assistance in debt management to Guinea. A six-month expert attachment is focusing on building capacity and training in debt management mechanisms, on the design of debt management and monitoring tools, as well as providing advisory services to the Department for Debt and Aid Management.
30 Jan-3 February 2011 - DFI Assists Sudan Government to Plan Debt Relief and Capacity-Building
DFI was funded by the Swiss Ministry for Economic Affairs to conduct this mission to Khartoum to assist the government with technical inputs for planning potential debt relief under the HIPC process, depending on various decisions relating to the treatment of debt in the discussions on secession by Southern Sudan. It also assisted the government to plan a 4-year programme for capacity-building to maximize its debt relief and ensure its debt remains sustainable after relief.
December - January 2011 - Rwanda Financial Resource Mobilisation Strategy
A DFI associate, funded by UNDP, assisted the Government of Rwanda to design a Resource Mobilisation Strategy to fund the national development programme. This focussed on diversifying financing sources away from OECD aid to new concessional and private financing sources.