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Business and Economics > Public Finance

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Cover Departmental Papers
Long-Term Spending Pressures in Europe
Stephanie Eble
,
Alexander Pitt
,
Irina Bunda
,
Oyun Erdene Adilbish
,
Nina Budina
,
Gee Hee Hong
,
Moheb T Malak
,
Sabiha Mohona
,
Alla Myrvoda
, and
Keyra Primus
European countries face high, rising, and long-lasting spending pressures, calling for a renewed focus on fiscal policy and comprehensive structural reforms to prepare their economies for the future. On top of existing fiscal consolidation needs, spending pressures in five key areas are imminent and growing in Europe: pensions and healthcare/long-term care driven by population aging; climate transition; increased defense spending; and higher borrowing costs. Some pressures are immediate, others will build up over time. Projections indicate that additional expenditures could reach 5¾ percent of GDP annually by 2050 in Advanced Europe and 8 percent in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe (CESEE). Addressing these challenges will require extensive efforts, including enhancing institutional capacity and implementing deep structural reforms to manage spending, ensure adequate revenue, and meet environmental, social, and security objectives. Policymakers must also consider the distributional impacts of reforms, particularly on vulnerable households. A broad reform agenda tailored to country circumstances is essential, with urgent actions needed in many countries to ensure the sustainability of pension systems and to combat climate change through fiscal instruments like carbon pricing. Increased revenue mobilization, particularly in CESEE, and the reduction of inefficient spending are critical for creating fiscal space for priority expenditures. Strengthening the EU's fiscal capacity to provide common public goods such as climate, defense, energy security, and R&D and implementing structural reforms to enhance growth potential are also vital. However, raising awareness of these issues and implementing the necessary reforms will be challenging. A well-designed fiscal framework that incorporates long-term spending pressures, supported by comprehensive analysis and data, is crucial for informing public debate and guiding national decision-making to ensure that spending pressures are adequately addressed. Ultimately, inaction is not an option, as it risks fiscal sustainability and the fulfillment of priority spending needs.
Keywords:
Fiscal policy; structural reforms; climate; defense; demographics; aging; health; public debt; fiscal institutions; spending pressure; member states; EU climate goal; increase EU resilience; emissions trading system; EU financing; EU rule; carbon border adjustment mechanism; EU budget; EU country; climate goal; spending needs; Pension spending; Defense spending; Pensions; Europe; priority spending needs; data from European Union; inefficient spending; long-term spending pressure
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC): Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
The CEMAC’s economy lost momentum in 2023. The external position weakened, with the current account shifting to a deficit and foreign reserve accumulation slowing. While inflation continued to ease, it remained elevated. Available data indicate a deterioration in the underlying fiscal positions of many countries. The near-term outlook points to stronger economic activity, with growth projected to accelerate to 3.2 percent in 2024, supported by elevated oil prices and a rebound in oil output. However, the end-June 2024 regional policy assurance on NFA––and, according to preliminary information, the end-December 2024 targets––were not met, indicating a deviation in reserves from the targeted path. Debt vulnerabilities have also worsened in some countries, as evidenced by the growing pressures in the regional government debt market. Following the strong commitment expressed at the extraordinary Heads of State Summit in December 2024 to address macroeconomic imbalances and strengthen regional institutions, all countries are expected to tackle fiscal slippages, restore fiscal prudence, and implement structural reforms to steer the region toward a more resilient medium-term outlook. This should help reduce risks to the capacity to repay the Fund. However, the projections remain uncertain, as the details of corrective measures and reforms are still being finalized between staff and national authorities.
Keywords:
CEMAC authorities; CEMAC country; CEMAC economy; CEMAC heads of state; policy assurance; Financial sector stability; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Government securities; Fiscal stance; Global; Central Africa
Cover High-Level Summary Technical Assistance Reports
The Gambia: Public Investment Management Assessment Update with the Climate Module
Bryn Battersby
,
Ian H Hawkesworth
,
Natalia Salazar
,
Chathebert Mudhunguyo
,
Rehemah Namutebi
,
Willie Du Preez
,
Kubai Khasiani
, and
Tchaoussala Haoussia
The assistance assessed The Gambia’s public investment management practices and their climate sensitivity using the Public Investment Management Assessment (PIMA) with the Climate Module (C-PIMA). Findings reveal progress in strengthening the institutional design of public investment management since the 2019 PIMA, with advances such as the 2020 Cabinet Memorandum establishing the Gambia Strategic Review Board, the 2023 State Owned Enterprise (SOE) Act for centralized SOE oversight, and improved procurement legislation. However, gaps in project selection criteria, centralized reviews, and risk assessment persist. The assessment also noted weaknesses in the climate sensitivity of public investment management, with limited integration of climate risks into project planning, appraisal, and selection. Recommendations include creating a public investment management information system, centralizing PIM oversight within the Ministry of Finance, establishing project selection pipelines, and enhancing climate-related criteria within investment decisions.
Keywords:
The Gambia; Public investment management; PIMA; C-PIMA; climate change; Green PFM; management practice; management framework; climate sensitivity; framework in The Gambia; priority investment project; Public Investment Management Assessment (PIMA)
Cover IMF Working Papers
Evaluating Historical Episodes using Shock Decompositions in the DSGE Model
Zamid Aligishiev
,
Michael Ben-Gad
, and
Joseph Pearlman
We present alternative methods for calculating and interpreting the influence of exogenous shocks on historical episodes within the context of DSGE models. We show analytically why different methods for calculating shock decompositions can generate conflicting interpretations of the same historical episodes. We illustrate this point using an extended version of Drautzburg and Uhlig’s (2015) model of the U.S. economy, focusing on the periods 1964–1966, 1979–1987, 2006–2009, 2016–2020 and 2020–2023. We argue that the best method for analyzing particular episodes is one which isolates the influence of the shocks during the period under consideration and where the initial conditions represent the system’s distance from balanced growth path at the beginning of the episode.
Keywords:
DSGE model; Shock Decomposition; Financial Frictions; Fiscal Policy; copyright page; influence of the shock; monetary policy shock; differencing method; decomposition method; Sovereign bonds; Central bank policy rate; Private investment; Public investment spending; Global
Cover Selected Issues Papers
Estimating Fiscal Multiplier for Qatar: Qatar
Ken Miyajima
Econometric results suggest that Qatar’s strong capital spending multiplier became less impactful as the stock of capital rose to a high level, likely as the marginal impact declined. This supports Qatar’s strategy to shifts the State’s role to an enabler of private sector-led growth, focusing on expenditure to support build human capital and implementation of broader reform guided by the Third National Development Strategy.
Keywords:
Capital spending; fiscal multiplier; GCC; Qatar; strategy to shift; Qatar's strategy; copyright page; Qatar country dummy; allocation decision; Fiscal multipliers; Current spending; Stocks; Global
Cover Selected Issues Papers
Financial Conditions and Their Growth Implications for Qatar
Dorothy Nampewo
This paper develops a Financial Conditions Index (FCI) for Qatar and uses the Growth-at-Risk (GaR) framework to examine the impact of financial conditions on Qatar’s non-hydrocarbon growth. The analysis shows that the FCI is an important leading indicator of Qatar’s non-hydrocarbon growth, highlighting its predictive potential for future economic performance. The GaR framework suggests that overall, the current downside risks to Qatar’s baseline non-hydrocarbon growth projections are relatively mild.
Keywords:
Financial conditions; non-hydrocarbon growth; Qatar; GaR framework; growth projection; Qatar's baseline; copyright page; financial conditions indicator; Financial conditions index; Oil prices; Central bank policy rate; Deposit rates; Post-clearance customs audit; Global
Cover Technical Assistance Reports
The Gambia: Technical Assistance Report-Public Investment Management Assessment Update with the Climate Module
International Monetary Fund. Fiscal Affairs Dept.
The IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) conducted a Public Investment Management Assessment (PIMA) and Climate Module (C-PIMA) for The Gambia to assess public investment management (PIM) and its climate sensitivity. The assessment found improvements since the 2019 PIMA, including the 2020 Cabinet Memorandum for strategic project reviews, the 2023 SOE Act for centralized oversight, and enhanced procurement regulations. However, despite these institutional improvements, effectiveness has yet to catch up and, in some cases, has weakened. Climate resilience is also insufficiently addressed, with weak integration of climate risks into project planning and outdated regulatory frameworks. Key recommendations include establishing a public investment management information system, strengthening PIM oversight within the Ministry of Finance, formalizing project selection pipelines, and embedding climate-related criteria in investment decisions.
Keywords:
The Gambia; investment; PIM; PIMA; Climate; Climate Module; C-PIMA.; management institution; procurement authority; IMF climate policy diagnostic; capital cash outlay; D. investment allocation; climate PIMA; Public investment spending; Climate change; Budget planning and preparation; Infrastructure; West Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Global
Cover Global Financial Stability Notes
Pension Funds and Financial Stability
This Global Financial Stability Note examines the growth of the pension fund sector and the potential financial stability implications. Historically, pension funds have been seen as a contributor to financial stability because of their long-term and well-diversified liabilities. However, the sector has undergone significant structural shifts accelerated by a prolonged period of low interest rates, increasing its exposure to traditional risks while introducing emerging risks; this is reflected in growing intra-financial sector interconnectedness and exposure to long-term sovereign bonds. The recent transition to higher interest rates should be positive for the pension sector, albeit its pace and abruptness has been associated with liquidity stress and contagion risks in some countries.
Keywords:
Pension Funds; Financial Stability; Assets; Risks; Pension Plans; major pension fund sector; IMF Library; major pension savings market; structural liquidity; asset-liability duration mismatch; risk analysis; Pension spending; Pensions; Financial sector stability; Liquidity risk; Global
Cover Technical Notes and Manuals
Methodology and Overview of the IMF’s World Revenue Longitudinal Database
Mario Mansour
,
Marijn Verhoeven
,
Fayçal Sawadogo
, and
Benedict Chu Sheen Tan
This note presents the methodology behind the IMF’s World Revenue Longitudinal Database, a comprehensive data set that tracks government revenue trends since the early 1990s. With data for 193 countries, including 190 IMF member countries, the World Revenue Longitudinal Database provides policymakers, researchers, and the public with invaluable insights into the evolution of the level and composition of revenues and tax revenues. It is a unique, consistent, and reliable source for comparing countries around the world, helping to shape policies that support the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, and economic equity. Updated annually, the database and accompanying technical note provide a concise overview of recent revenue developments, data revisions, and methodological improvements, making it an essential resource for understanding revenue mobilization developments at the global level.
Keywords:
World Revenue Longitudinal Database; tax revenues; nontax revenues; tax potential; IMF's World Revenue Longitudinal Database; data IMF Library; IMF region; IMF's World revenue; revenue development; Income tax systems; Income and capital gains taxes; Government finance statistics; Natural resources; Global; Western Hemisphere; Asia and Pacific; Middle East and Central Asia; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Angola: 2024 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Angola
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
The economy recovered in 2024 as oil sector rebounded from its slump. However, fiscal consolidation efforts somewhat waned, auguring the start of a political cycle. Buffers built during the 2018–21 EFF—supported program are being eroded by fiscal slippages from higher capital expenditures and a slower fuel subsidy reform. Nevertheless, public debt relative to GDP declined in 2024, benefiting from high nominal GDP growth and debt repayments. High external debt service constrains development spending, while oil dependence represents a drag on sustainable growth. Inflation remains elevated, fueled by exchange rate depreciation, and import substitution measures that have restricted food supply. The National Development Plan 2023–27 remains the main element for the authorities’ diversification strategy.
Keywords:
AFRITAC South; debt management effort; production capacity; inflation expectation; policy transmission; Credit; Inflation; Global; Africa