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Africa > Malawi

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 11 items for :

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  • Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations x
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Cover IMF Working Papers
Tax Revenues in Fragile and Conflict-Affected States—Why Are They Low and How Can We Raise Them?
Mr. Bernardin Akitoby
,
Mr. Jiro Honda
, and
Keyra Primus
Raising revenues has been a formidable challenge for fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS), a fact confirmed once again in the COVID-19 crisis. Nonetheless, achieving sizable gains in tax collection in fragile environments is not impossible. This paper—with empirical analyses and case studies—contributes to policy discussions on tax reform in such challenging environments. Our analyses show that many FCS achieved some recovery of tax revenues, even though they found it challenging to sustain the momentum beyond three years. We also find that changes in the quality of institutions (e.g., government effectiveness and control of corruption) are a key contributory factor to their tax performance (much more so than for non-FCS). Next, we look into the tax increase episodes of four countries (Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, and the Solomon Islands). Although each FCS is unique, their experiences suggest two lessons: (i) tax reforms can be pursued even with initially weak institutions; and (ii) strong political commitment is important to sustain reform efforts and realize long-lasting, sizable gains.
Keywords:
WP; customs administration reform; reform effort; modernization program; governance issue; revenue administration reform; tax administration modernization program; income tax; tax reform; country authorities; tax administration reform; customs duty; tax reform strategy; governance variable; effectiveness index; Tax administration core functions; Tax collection; Customs administration core functions; Excises; Middle East; Sub-Saharan Africa; Global; Tax Revenue Mobilization; Fragile; Conflict-Affected States; government effectiveness; administration reform
Cover Policy Papers
Social Safeguards and Program Design in PRGT and PSI-Supported Programs
International Monetary Fund
The Fund provides considerable support to low-income countries (LICs). This includes concessional financing from the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT), which currently carries an interest rate of zero percent. Since 2010, over half of Fund-supported arrangements have involved a PRGT facility. Support for poverty reduction is a core objective of arrangements supported by these facilities. This paper examines how PRGT-supported programs safeguard spending on poor and vulnerable groups within the broader framework of promoting inclusive growth. In some cases, national poverty reduction programs seek to shift expenditures toward social programs in the context of generally higher spending supported by domestic revenue mobilization, grants, or debt financing. In other cases, the goal is to safeguard poor and vulnerable groups from fiscal adjustment and reform measures that could adversely affect them by adopting countervailing policy measures to strengthen social safety nets. In discussing social safeguards, this paper focuses on how and if these objectives are reflected satisfactorily in the design of PRGT and PSI-supported programs. The effectiveness of social spending in improving social outcomes, including by durably reducing poverty, is beyond the scope of the paper.
Keywords:
PP; program; Fund; guidance; LIC program; spending; IMF executive board review; program document; country authorities; fund Policy; Social assistance spending; Poverty reduction strategy; Health care spending; Poverty reduction; Fiscal consolidation; Middle East and Central Asia; Central and Eastern Europe; Asia and Pacific; Western Hemisphere; Sub-Saharan Africa
Cover Policy Papers
Framework Administered Account for Selected Fund Activities—East Africa Regional Technical Assistance Center (AFRITAC East) Subaccount
International Monetary Fund
In March 2009, the Fund established a new Framework Administered Account to administer external financial resources for selected Fund activities (the “SFA Instrument”). The financing of activities under the terms of the SFA Instrument is implemented through the establishment and operation of a subaccount within the SFA. The subaccount for the East Africa Regional Technical Assistance Center (AFRITAC East) would be the third one under the SFA. This paper requests Executive Board approval to establish the AFRITAC East subaccount under the terms of the SFA Instrument.
Keywords:
PP; Subaccount; AFRITAC east; contributor; terms and conditions of the Subaccount; East Africa region; resources of the Subaccount; d. contributor; activities-East Africa; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); East Africa
Cover IMF Working Papers
Does Import Protection Discourage Exports?
Mr. Stephen Tokarick
This paper points out that while many developing countries seek to increase their export earnings, they have not embraced fully the notion that their own pattern of import protection hurts their export performance. The paper quantifies the extent to which import protection acts as a tax on a country's export sector and finds that for many developing countries, the magnitude of the implicit tax is substantial-about 12 percent, on average, for the countries studied. The paper also illustrates the effects of various tariff-cutting scenarios in the Doha Round on export incentives and concludes that, in general, developing countries could increase their export earnings by reducing their own import tariffs, but countries must be careful about how these tariff reductions are achieved. For example, tariff-cutting schemes that exempt certain sectors could actually be harmful.
Keywords:
WP; export; tariff; import; developing country; import tariff; Tariffs; export tax; welfare; restrictiveness; export-tax equivalent; tariff barrier; export disincentive; anti-export bias; Exports; Imports; Trade barriers; Export prices; Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Malawi: Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix
International Monetary Fund
This report highlights the growth and macroeconomic policies in Malawi, and also analyzes the interaction between aid flows and macroeconomic stabilization policy. The paper reviews the country's recent trade reform program and summarizes other associated reforms and changes in the pattern of trade. It provides a survey of selected studies on the direct impact of HIV/AIDS on mortality and morbidity, measures of their possible effects on output, growth, and the fiscal position, and also a statistical appendix is provided for the country.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; reform program; foreign exchange; per capita income; trade agreement; trade regime; trade reform program; growth performance; trade liberalization program; aid dependency-a; tariff structure; economic growth; Malawi tea estate; Tariffs; Exports; HIV and AIDS; Aid flows; Imports; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Southern Africa; East Africa
Cover Revenue Implications of Trade Liberalization
Revenue Implications of Trade Liberalization
Mr. Reint Gropp
,
Mr. Liam P. Ebrill
, and
Ms. Janet Gale Stotsky

Abstract

The apparent contradiction between trade liberalization and continuing high trade tax revenue raises the important question of how, precisely, the one affects the other. Although policymakers generally recognize the long-term benefits of trade liberalization, some have argued for at least a slower pace, in part because of revenue concerns. This paper seeks to address these issues in three complimentary ways: through an overview of the factors that may have a bearing on the question, through a review of trends in trade tax revenue both globally and in selected countries, and through econometric analysis.

Keywords:
OP; liberalization; trade; tax; reform; trade reform; tariff rate; trade liberalization; trade tax; liberalization process; Tariffs; Taxes on trade; Trade liberalization; Imports; Western Hemisphere; Africa; Asia and Pacific; Middle East; Central Africa
Cover IMF Working Papers
Coordinating Tariff Reduction and Domestic Tax Reform
Mr. Michael Keen
and
Ms. Jenny E Ligthart
A key obstacle to fundamental tariff reform in many developing countries is the revenue loss that it ultimately implies. This paper establishes a simple and practicable strategy for realizing the efficiency gains from tariff reform without reducing public revenues, showing that for a small open economy, a cut in tariffs combined with a point-for-point increase in domestic consumption taxes increases both welfare and public revenues. Increasingly stringent conditions are required, however, to ensure unambiguously beneficial outcomes from this reform strategy when allowance is made for such important features as nontradeable goods, intermediate inputs, and imperfect competition.
Keywords:
WP; production efficiency; tariff reform; tax reform; intermediate inputs; imperfect competition; reform of the kind; tariff revenue; tariff reduction; revenue function; reform literature; tax-tariff reform; reform design; reducing tariff; Tariffs; Consumption taxes; Consumer prices; Producer prices; Consumption; Africa
Cover Trade Reform and Regional Integration in Africa
Trade Reform and Regional Integration in Africa

Abstract

Edited by Zubair Iqbal and Mohsin Khan, this volume is a collection of papers given at a seminar on trade issues in Africa, conducted by the IMF nad the African Economic Research Consortium. It represents the views of government officials, academics, and representatives from multilateral and regional agencies on issues relating to trade reform and regionalism in Africa. Issues include the role of trade liberalization in promoting sustained growth, interdependence of trade and macroeconomic policies, impediments to effective trade reforms, the steps needed to accelerate trade reform, and the importance of regional interaction.

Keywords:
BOOK; liberalization; country; trade; trade reform; IMF Headquarters; trade diversion; a number of AERC-supported researcher; PTA trade liberalization program; Tariffs; Trade policy; Trade liberalization; Exports; Imports; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Southern Africa; East Asia; West Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Malawi: Recent Economic Developments
International Monetary Fund
This paper examines economic developments in Malawi during 1993–97. Following a short recovery in 1993, Malawi’s financial situation deteriorated significantly in early 1994 as increasing problems of expenditure control ahead of its first multiparty elections and administrative problems in revenue collection led a large overall fiscal deficit mainly financed by the banking system. However, Malawi embarked, in early 1995, on an adjustment program designed to reestablish financial stability and set the basis for sustainable economic growth. Since then, the authorities’ efforts have led to a significant transformation of the Malawian economy.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Malawi; export; Malawi kwacha; exchange rate; debt service; private sector; balance of payments; inflation rate; GDP deflator; Exports; Imports; Commercial banks; Tariffs; Africa
Cover Export Credits
Export Credits
Developments & Prospects 1986
International Monetary Fund

Abstract

This paper discusses developments and issues concerning export credits from the perspective of the economic adjustment process of indebted developing countries. This emphasis is consistent with the principle that officially supported export credit—whether it takes the form of direct official credits or insurance and guarantees on privately funded credits—is an instrument of commercial financing for exports and not a means of aid finance. All creditor governments have a broad range of objectives in using the economic instruments at their disposal to help overcome the adjustment problems of heavily indebted countries, with which important bilateral trade relations are being maintained. In support of an expansion in world trade and notwithstanding the competitive element, export credit insurance and guarantees may have a special role in helping to catalyze private credit flows, especially since such a role coincides with the interest of private lenders to shift away from general purpose balance of payments finance to trade and project finance.

Keywords:
WEFS; export credit; nonbank export credits; guaranteed bank credits; OECD statistics; debtor country; export credit authorities; export credit cover policy; Export credits; Bank credit; Debt rescheduling; Credit; Private debt; Western Hemisphere; Global; Middle East; export credit authority; export credit insurance; export credit exposure; Caribbean