An IMF Advanced Course on Government Finance Statistics

Improving the quality of fiscal and debt statistics used for policy making and promoting fiscal and debt transparency are important goals for JVI member countries. They are continuously developing statistical capacity to achieve these goals. While it is necessary to keep building knowledge and skills of individuals engaging in compilation and dissemination of official statistics, they also acknowledge the need for raising awareness of high-level officials and improving inter-agency coordination.

The IMF Statistics Department delivered an advanced course on government finance statistics (GFS) at the JVI during March 25−April 5, 2024. The emphasis was on using the GFS statistical framework to present and analyze flows and stock positions in an integrated approach and provide consistent historical series with a good explanation of the nature of the data. Some complex compilation issues were discussed. The participants (26 from 15 countries) presented practical issues that they face which provided rich materials for discussion.

Despite different capacity levels and diverse country-specific statistical issues, all participants learned the concepts and principles, understood how these should be applied in practice, and shared their knowledge and on-the-ground experiences through active participation. They were motivated and committed to apply the knowledge gained through the course in their future work. It is hoped that learning will continue and benefit all JVI member countries.

Noriaki Kinoshita, Senior Economist, IMF