## Frequently Asked Questions on Governance Diagnostic

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Frequently Asked Questions on Governance Diagnostic](https://www.imf.org/en/about/faq/governance-diagnostic)

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- [Markdown version](/en/about/faq/governance-diagnostic/index.md)
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### Purpose and scope of a Governance Diagnostic (GD)
- Governance Diagnostics (GD) analyze and recommend actions for addressing corruption vulnerabilities and strengthening integrity & governance in IMF member countries.
- A GD analyzes and recommends actions for addressing systemic corruption vulnerabilities and strengthening integrity & governance in IMF member countries.
- GDs examine the severity of corruption vulnerabilities across the six core state functions:
  - fiscal governance
  - central bank governance and operations
  - financial sector oversight
  - rule of law
  - market regulation
  - AML-CFT
- GDs also assess the effectiveness of anti-corruption legal and institutional frameworks.
- Following analysis, GDs propose prioritized and sequenced advice on systematically addressing the vulnerabilities.
- Note: In some cases, referred to as Governance Diagnostic Assessment or Governance and Corruption Diagnostic.

### Process, timing, and voluntary nature
- A GD is voluntary for both a member country and the IMF, and is an IMF capacity development activity.
- Initiation:
  - Initiated on request from authorities and subject to resource availability.
  - IMF staff discuss the scope and timing of delivering a GD up front with the authorities.
  - A call for a GD may arise during IMF lending and surveillance activities; it remains a voluntary exercise in such cases.
- GDs are conducted through a series of stages:
  - scoping mission — frames the remit of the main mission and reaches agreement with authorities on focus areas;
  - main mission — centers on assessing substantive governance weaknesses and corruption vulnerabilities within core state functions;
  - desk work — leads to production of a comprehensive report outlining findings and recommendations.
- Genuine cooperation between IMF staff and authorities is essential, requiring authorities’ commitment to constructively organize missions and provide timely access to all necessary information.
- GDs are guided by the IMF’s 2018 Framework on Enhanced Engagement on Governance.

### Ownership, publication, and stakeholder engagement
- A member country is expected to fully own the reform program and address governance and corruption vulnerabilities identified in a Diagnostic.
- Authorities are expected during production to provide access to all necessary legal and administrative documents and facilitate the GD mission team’s contacts with:
  - civil society organizations
  - the private sector
  - think tanks
  - academia
- GDs are expected to be published to encourage transparency and facilitate extensive support from all key stakeholders on governance reforms, although publication is at the prerogative of country authorities.
- Practices observed:
  - Several authorities have also published GDs on their own web sites.
  - Some GD reports have been published as the authorities’ own report, prepared in collaboration with the IMF.
  - Prior to undertaking a Diagnostic, authorities often commit to publishing the GD report and/or the reform plan derived from the Diagnostic.
- GD reports draw heavily on local knowledge and expertise and engage a variety of stakeholders and development partners to inform findings and recommendations.
- In some countries, civil society organizations remain actively involved in monitoring implementation of GD recommendations and assessing the impact of reform.

### Findings, outputs, and current status
- Since 2018, twenty-one GD Reports have been finalized.
- Recent Diagnostics include Haiti, Sri-Lanka, Mauritania, Cameroon, Zambia, and Benin.
- Ten Diagnostics are currently ongoing, and others are under consideration.
- Findings of the Diagnostic inform:
  - authorities’ governance and anti-corruption reforms
  - IMF-supported programs
  - surveillance in the context of Article IV missions
  - capacity development work
- Some Diagnostic recommendations become conditionality in subsequent IMF-supported programs.

---


## References

- [Governance and Anti-Corruption](https://www.imf.org/en/topics/governance-and-anti-corruption)
- [World Economic Outlook](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/weo)
- [Global Economy in the Shadow of War](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/weo/issues/2026/04/14/world-economic-outlook-april-2026)
- [Global Financial Stability Report](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/gfsr)
- [Global Financial Markets Confront the War in the Middle East and Amplification Risks](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/gfsr/issues/2026/04/14/global-financial-stability-report-april-2026)
- [Fiscal Monitor](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/fm)
- [Fiscal Policy under Pressure: High Debt, Rising Risks](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/fm/issues/2026/04/15/fiscal-monitor-april-2026)
- [Regional Economic Outlook Reports, All Regions](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/reo)
- [Asia and Pacific](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/reo/apac)
- [Europe](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/reo/eu)
- [Middle East and Central Asia](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/reo/meca)
- [Sub-Saharan Africa](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/reo/ssa)
- [Western Hemisphere](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/reo/wh)
- [IMF Annual Report 2025](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/areb)
- [Getting to Growth in an Age of Uncertainty](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/areb/issues/2025/09/24/annual-report-2025)
- [More Publications](https://www.imf.org/en/publications)
- [here.](https://www.imf.org/en/Topics/governance-and-anti-corruption)
- [the IMF’s 2018 Framework on Enhanced Engagement on Governance.](https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/Policy-Papers/Issues/2018/04/20/pp030918-review-of-1997-guidance-note-on-governance)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/about/faq/governance-diagnostic_