Government Finance and Public Sector Debt Statistics

Source details

The course offers, in the first three days, an opportunity to learn the concepts, principles, sources, methods, accounting rules, and general framework used to compile GFS and PSDS.
Fundamental features covered include: institutional units, sectorization, basis of reporting, transactions, other economic flows, accounts (revenue, expense, expenditure, assets, liabilities), statements, balance sheets.
The course is taught using international standards presented in the Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014 (GFSM 2014) and the Public Sector Debt Statistics: Guide for Compilers and Users 2011 (PSDS Guide).
Participants, especially GFS compilers, are asked to come prepared to discuss the current status of GFS/PSDS development and their views on capacity development requirements in their country.
Articulating a needs assessment for each participating country will be a primary task on the fourth day of the course.
To the extent possible, the course will feature applied components that are based on the South Asia experience.

Target audience:
- Government officials (compilers and intensive users) who would benefit from gaining new, or refreshing existing, knowledge of the concepts, principles, sources, and methods used to compile government finance statistics (GFS) and public sector debt statistics (PSDS).
Qualifications:
- Participants are expected to have a degree in economics or a related field.
- Engage in regular compilation or use of GFS and/or PSDS.
- Have proficiency in Microsoft EXCEL and WORD.

Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:

Discuss general and specific aspects of the GFS and PSDS framework as embodied in the GFSM 2014 and the PSDS Guide.
Describe the institutional structure of their respective governments and how they are interrelated with the broader public sector - Identify economic sectors.
Sectorize institutional units.
Classify transactions, other economic flows, and stock positions in assets and liabilities data.
Prepare basic GFSM 2014 statements.
Know the statements and memoranda items that are part of GFSM 2014 framework.
Know the major Classifications of the Functions of Government (COFOG).
Identify key differences between the GFSM 2014 and its predecessors.