Training Program

All government officials are welcome to register. This course is particularly useful for officials from ministries of finance, debt agencies, central banks, and other government agencies responsible for providing advice or implementing macroeconomic and debt policies.

Some knowledge of economics is helpful. Basic Microsoft Excel skills and access to a computer with a reliable internet connection and a Google Chrome web browser are essential.

This online course, presented jointly by the Institute for Capacity Development and the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department, in collaboration with the World Bank, provides an overview of the World Bank–IMF Debt Sustainability Framework for Low Income Countries (LIC DSF).The LIC DSF was developed by the IMF and the World Bank (WB) to help low-income countries achieve their development goals while minimizing the risk of debt distress. This one-module course will allow participants  to understand the LIC DSF, and thus interpret the LIC DSF outputs presented in WB and IMF reports. The course walks  through the steps involved in applying the LIC DSF. First, we identify data requirements and the “realism tools” used for assessing the plausibility of macroeconomic projections. Next, the course addresses how the LIC DSF computes a country’s debt-carrying capacity, which is used for determining thresholds for the debt-burden indicators. When a debt-burden indicator breaches its threshold under either the baseline or stress test scenarios, this signals risk of debt distress. The course concludes by exploring how judgment can be used to arrive at a final risk rating.