Government Finance Statistics

Source details

Target audience: Officials whose main responsibility is compiling and disseminating fiscal statistics.
Qualifications:
- Some knowledge of economics and statistics is helpful.
- Access to a computer with a reliable Internet connection and a Google Chrome web browser and basic Microsoft Excel skills are essential.

Presented by the Statistics Department.
Focuses on both the conceptual framework of government finance statistics (GFS) as presented in the IMF’s Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014 (GFSM 2014) and on practical aspects of data compilation.
Covers basic concepts and definitions, accounting principles, and detailed classifications in the context of the GFSM 2014, which is harmonized with the system of national accounts.
Examines the GFS framework, including:
- coverage and accounting rules (including accrual accounting),
- classifications,
- balance sheets and debt,
- sources and methods used for compiling GFS.
Discusses the dissemination of GFS and its uses in fiscal policymaking and analyses.

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

Explain the GFS integrated framework, understand its advantages and the importance of comprehensive, consistent, and internationally comparable fiscal data for fiscal policy design, monitoring, and evaluation.
Apply the main macroeconomic principles to identify public sector institutional units and distinguish between general government units and public corporations.
Apply the basic macroeconomic concepts, principles, and accounting rules to identify, classify, and record transactions, other economic flows, and stock positions.
Explain how specific government operations and other flows outside the government control impact the fiscal deficit/surplus, debt, and net worth.
Describe the relationships between the main fiscal aggregates, and between the fiscal aggregates and other macroeconomic indicators.