Public Sector Debt Statistics (PSDS)

Source details

Target audience: Compilers and analysts of public sector debt statistics employed by Ministries/agencies responsible for official public sector debt.
Qualifications: Participants are expected to have a degree in economics or statistics; or equivalent experience.

Covers fundamentals needed to compile and disseminate comprehensive public sector debt statistics (PSDS) useful for policy- and decision-makers, as well as other users.
Introduces the conceptual statistical framework for PSDS as presented in the Public Sector Debt Statistics: Guide for Compilers and Users 2011 (PSDSG 2011) in the context of the government finance statistics (GFS) framework, which is harmonized with other macroeconomic statistical frameworks.
Covers basic concepts, definitions, and classifications, along with the principal accounting rules (including valuation and consolidation) that are relevant for PSDS compilation.
Discusses recommended instrument and institutional coverage for compiling comprehensive and internationally comparable PSDS.
Addresses the impact on PSDS of debt-related issues such as:
- debt assumption
- debt forgiveness
- on-lending
- financial leases
- financial bailouts
Covers important PSDS compilation considerations, including what PSDS to compile and disseminate, and the IMF's guidelines and standards on disseminating PSDS.

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

Understand basic concepts and classification of public sector debt statistics
Identify and validate data sources
Recognize the compatibility of public debt within the government finance statistics framework
Acquire knowledge of the principal accounting rules
Understand the structure and modes of reporting to international databases

For additional information concerning the content of the course, contact: Mr. Amir Hadziomeragic, Government Finance Statistics and Public Sector Debt Statistics Advisor, METAC at ahadziomeragic@imf.org