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Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations
,
International Monetary Fund
,
Intra-European Organisation of Tax Administrations
, and
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Abstract

This guide is part of a series of Virtual Training to Advance Revenue Administration (VITARA) reference guides that has been developed based on the contents of the VITARA online modules. This reference guide deals with Human Resource Management (HRM) issues, HRM strategy, and, more generally, human capital in a tax administration. It introduces modern HRM practices for senior leaders of a tax administration including how HRM should be organized within a tax administration, the design of a career path, and adequate remuneration structure for tax administration officials. The guide identifies key areas of effective HRM and some of the supporting principles. It also defines what the function of learning and development is and why it is important for tax administrations. Hot topics such as workforce analysis, culture, values, ethics, HR analytics, training, and knowledge management are also covered.

Hany Abdel-Latif
and
Mahmoud El-Gamal
This study investigates the factors leading to exclusion and their detrimental impacts in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It employs two-levels of analysis: a macro-level estimation of the influence of exclusion and marginalization on violent conflict, and a micro-level investigation identifying the triggers of exclusion sentiments. We construct statistical summaries from multiple measures of exclusion, producing an overall exclusion index as well as social, economic, and political exclusion sub-indices. Our results show the importance of mitigating exclusion and marginalization within SSA nations, and pinpoint the most effective policy levers that governments may use to minimize destabilizing feelings of exclusion.
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper focuses on boosting sustainable growth in Zambia. Zambia’s economy is highly dependent on mining and agriculture, but despite its abundant resources, growth has been insufficient to lift its young and growing population from poverty. The new government, which came into power in 2021, adopted a new approach to growth, focusing first on restoring macroeconomic stability as the precondition to sustainable growth. Rule of law and fighting corruption have also been highlighted as key to improving the business environment. Restoring macroeconomic stability and credibility, improving the business climate and governance is the best way to attract new investment. Prompt and clear resolution of the debt restructuring removes the largest obstacle to economic recovery. It would lower uncertainty for foreign and domestic investors and boost the impact of the government’s program to restore macroeconomic stability and fiscal sustainability. Reducing corruption, streamlining bureaucratic procedures, and easing the business environment would attract investment. The focus on education and health is warranted. A simulation of the impact of improved education and health indicators because of government’s investment in health and education show a significant increase in long-term growth rates.

Abstract

Despite some pre-pandemic gains in poverty reduction, literacy, and lifespans, many economies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have struggled to ensure that the benefits of economic development and diversification accrue equitably to all segments of their populations. Among the main issues that remain unresolved are the high share of inactive youth (who are not engaged in employment, education, or training); large gaps in economic opportunities for women; fragmented social protection systems; and underdeveloped private sectors with tight regulation, absence of a level playing field, and limited access to credit that stifle the creation of new firms and growth, employment, and incomes. The COVID-19 pandemic not only risks wiping out some of the progress made in the region over the past decades, but could also exacerbate inequality in a durable way. There is evidence that the impact of the pandemic has been uneven across groups, with the recession having a disproportionate effect on the low-skilled, the young, women, and migrant workers in employment and incomes. With widespread inequality, high unemployment, and the expected entry of 27 million young people into the labor force over the next 10 years, countries across the MENA region need to evolve their economic models to boost job creation and make sure that the benefits of economic development are shared more widely among all their citizens. This book’s objective is to reassess the inclusive growth agenda in the MENA region in light of the rapidly changing pandemic-influenced world. It argues that countries need to embrace global trade and technological advances and evolving demographics at home as an opportunity to successfully implement policies that foster higher and more inclusive growth. It underscores that a return to the old social contract is neither desirable nor feasible. The book presents a comprehensive view of policies suited to the regional context that would boost job-rich and inclusive growth within a resilient macroeconomic policy framework. Its goal is to provide guidance to policymakers in the region to frame how best to promote inclusive growth, including in their engagement with all stakeholders.

International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper on Burundi discusses economic growth, fragility, and non-price competitiveness. In the aftermath of the 2015 crisis that has further fragilized the Burundian economy, the authorities have developed and adopted in 2018 a 10-year National development plan. The origins of Burundi’s fragility are historical, political, and institutional, leading to weak economic performance for the country. More efforts are needed to move the country out of fragility. Focus on investing in the country's long-term peacebuilding would be key. Transparency, social equity, and the fight against corruption are all major actions needed to ensure political stabilization. Also, special attention should be devoted to building a stronger and more resilient economy. Key bottlenecks to Burundi's competitiveness include climate shocks, energy and water constraints, and public management inefficiencies. After several years of instability in Burundi substantive efforts to improve competitiveness have been made.
International Monetary Fund. Communications Department
Finance & Development, June 2022
Nordine Abidi
,
Mehdi El Herradi
, and
Sahra Sakha
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented shock to firms with adverse consequences for existing productive capacities. At the same time, digitalization has increasingly been touted as a key pathway for mitigating economic losses from the pandemic, and we expect firms facing digital constraints to be less resilient to supply shocks. This paper uses firm-level data to investigate whether digitally-enabled firms have been able to mitigate economic losses arising from the pandemic better than digitally-constrained firms in the Middle East and Central Asia region using a difference-in-differences approach. Controlling for demand conditions, we find that digitally-enabled firms faced a lower decline in sales by about 4 percentage points during the pandemic compared to digitally-constrained firms, suggesting that digitalization acted as a hedge during the pandemic. Against this backdrop, our results suggest that policymakers need to close the digital gap and accelerate firms’ digital transformation. This will be essential for economies to bounce back from the pandemic, and build the foundations for future resilience.
International Monetary Fund. Asia and Pacific Dept

Abstract

Fall 2021 Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific--Navigating Waves of New Variants: Pandemic Resurgence Slows the Recovery