Cyclical Behavior of Fiscal Policy among Sub-Saharan African Countries
Cyclical Behavior of Fiscal Policy among Sub-Saharan African Countries

Author: Mr.Tetsuya Konuki

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2016-08-24

Total Pages: 39

ISBN-13: 1475529775

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Excessively procyclical fiscal policy can be harmful. This paper investigates to what extent the fiscal policies of sub-Saharan African countries were procyclical in recent years and the reasons for the degree of fiscal procyclicality among these countries. It finds that a tendency for procyclical fiscal policy was particularly pronounced among oil exporters and after the global financial crisis. It also finds a statistically significant causal link running from deeper financial markets and higher reserves coverage to lower fiscal policy procyclicality. Fiscal rules supported by strong political commitment and institutions seem to be key to facilitating progress for deeper financial markets and stronger reserves coverage.

Cyclical Behavior of Fiscal Policy among Sub-Saharan African Countries
Cyclical Behavior of Fiscal Policy among Sub-Saharan African Countries

Author: Mr.Tetsuya Konuki

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2016-08-24

Total Pages: 39

ISBN-13: 1513563548

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Excessively procyclical fiscal policy can be harmful. This paper investigates to what extent the fiscal policies of sub-Saharan African countries were procyclical in recent years and the reasons for the degree of fiscal procyclicality among these countries. It finds that a tendency for procyclical fiscal policy was particularly pronounced among oil exporters and after the global financial crisis. It also finds a statistically significant causal link running from deeper financial markets and higher reserves coverage to lower fiscal policy procyclicality. Fiscal rules supported by strong political commitment and institutions seem to be key to facilitating progress for deeper financial markets and stronger reserves coverage.

Fiscal Policy and Long-Term Growth
Fiscal Policy and Long-Term Growth

Author: International Monetary Fund

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2015-04-20

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 1498344658

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This paper explores how fiscal policy can affect medium- to long-term growth. It identifies the main channels through which fiscal policy can influence growth and distills practical lessons for policymakers. The particular mix of policy measures, however, will depend on country-specific conditions, capacities, and preferences. The paper draws on the Fund’s extensive technical assistance on fiscal reforms as well as several analytical studies, including a novel approach for country studies, a statistical analysis of growth accelerations following fiscal reforms, and simulations of an endogenous growth model.

Why is Fiscal Policy Often Procyclical?
Why is Fiscal Policy Often Procyclical?

Author: Alberto Alesina

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 62

ISBN-13:

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Many countries, especially developing ones, follow procyclical fiscal polices, namely spending goes up (taxes go down) in booms and spending goes down (taxes go up) in recessions. We provide an explanation for this suboptimal fiscal policy based upon political distortions and incentives for less-than-benevolent government to appropriate rents. Voters have incentives similar to the "starving the Leviathan" classic argument, and demand more public goods or fewer taxes to prevent governments from appropriating rents when the economy is doing well. We test this argument against more traditional explanations based purely on borrowing constraints, with a reasonable amount of success.

Cyclical Patterns of Government Expenditures in Sub-Saharan Africa
Cyclical Patterns of Government Expenditures in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: Victor Duarte Lledo

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2009-12-01

Total Pages: 33

ISBN-13: 1451874197

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This paper documents cyclical patterns of government expenditures in sub-Saharan Africa since 1970 and explains variation between countries and over time. Controlling for endogeneity, it finds government expenditures to be slightly more procyclical in sub-Saharan Africa than in other developing countries and some evidence that procyclicality in Africa has declined in recent years after a period of sharp increase through the 1990s. Greater fiscal space, proxied by lower external debt, and better access to concessional financing, proxied by larger aid flows, seem to be important factors in diminishing procyclicality in the region. The role of institutions is less clear cut: changes in political institutions have no impact on procyclicality.

Regional Economic Outlook, October 2016, Sub-Saharan Africa
Regional Economic Outlook, October 2016, Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: International Monetary Fund. African Dept.

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2016-10-25

Total Pages: 140

ISBN-13: 1513595970

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Economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa this year is set to drop to its lowest level in more than 20 years, reflecting the adverse external environment, and a lackluster policy response in many countries. However, the aggregate picture is one of multispeed growth: while most of non-resource-intensive countries—half of the countries in the region—continue to perform well, as they benefit from lower oil prices, an improved business environment, and continued strong infrastructure investment, most commodity exporters are under severe economic strains. This is particularly the case for oil exporters whose near-term prospects have worsened significantly in recent months. Sub-Saharan Africa remains a region of immense economic potential, but policy adjustment in the hardest-hit countries needs to be enacted promptly to allow for a growth rebound.

Regional Economic Outlook, October 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa
Regional Economic Outlook, October 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: International Monetary Fund. African Dept.

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2017-11-27

Total Pages: 129

ISBN-13: 1484312511

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Growth in sub-Saharan Africa has recovered relative to 2016, but the momentum is weak and per capita incomes are expected to barely increase. Further, vulnerabilities have risen in many countries, adding to the urgency of implementing the fiscal consolidations planned in most countries and with stepped up efforts to strengthen growth.

Regional Economic Outlook, April 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa
Regional Economic Outlook, April 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: Céline Allard

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2017-05-09

Total Pages: 122

ISBN-13: 1475574932

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Growth momentum in sub-Saharan Africa remains fragile, marking a break from the rapid expansion witnessed since the turn of the millennium. 2016 was a difficult year for many countries, with regional growth dipping to 1.4 percent—the lowest level of growth in more than two decades. Most oil exporters were in recession, and conditions in other resource-intensive countries remained difficult. Other nonresource-intensive countries however, continued to grow robustly. A modest recovery in growth of about 2.6 percent is expected in 2017, but this falls short of past trends and is too low to put sub-Saharan Africa back on a path of rising living standards. While sub-Saharan Africa remains a region with tremendous growth potential, the deterioration in the overall outlook partly reflects insufficient policy adjustment. In that context, and to reap this potential, strong and sound domestic policy measures are needed to restart the growth engine.

Second-Generation Fiscal Rules
Second-Generation Fiscal Rules

Author: Luc Eyraud

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2018-04-13

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 1484350936

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Fiscal rule frameworks have evolved significantly in response to the global financial crisis. Many countries have reformed their fiscal rules or introduced new ones with a view to enhancing the credibility of fiscal policy and providing a medium-term anchor. Enforcement and monitoring mechanisms have also been upgraded. However, these innovations have made the systems of rules more complicated to operate, while compliance has not improved. The SDN takes stock of past experiences, reviews recent reforms, and presents new research on the effectiveness of rules. It also proposes guiding principles for future reforms to strike a better balance between simplicity, flexibility, and enforceability. Read the blog

Regional Economic Outlook, April 2018, Sub-Saharan Africa
Regional Economic Outlook, April 2018, Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: International Monetary Fund. African Dept.

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2018-05-08

Total Pages: 137

ISBN-13: 148433986X

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The region is seeing a modest growth uptick, but this is not uniform and the medium-term outlook remains subdued. Growth is projected to rise to 3.4 percent in 2018, from 2.8 percent in 2017, on the back of improved global growth, higher commodity prices, and continued strong public spending. About 3⁄4 of the countries in the region are predicted to experience faster growth. Beyond 2018, growth is expected to plateau below 4 percent, modestly above population growth, reflecting continued sluggishness in the oil-exporting countries and sustained growth in non-resource-intensive countries. A number of countries (Burundi, DRC, South Sudan, and parts of the Sahel) remain locked in internal conflict resulting in record levels of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, with adverse spillovers to neighboring countries.