{
  "title": "Sri Lanka: Technical Assistance Report-Governance Diagnostic Assessment",
  "publication": "IMF Staff Country Reports, September 30, 2023",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2023/09/29/sri-lanka-technical-assistance-report-governance-diagnostic-assessment-539804",
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  "summary": "This technical assistance report on Sri Lanka discusses the Governance Diagnostic Assessment. In recent years, a confluence of shocks and policy missteps led to a deep economic and governance crisis. Sri Lanka continues to face severe economic, social and governance challenges.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Context and purpose",
      "content": "- Recent years saw a confluence of shocks and policy missteps that led to a deep economic and governance crisis in Sri Lanka.\n- Sri Lanka continues to face severe economic, social and governance challenges.\n- The authorities requested IMF assistance to analyse governance weaknesses and corruption vulnerabilities that are macro-critical and impede the objectives of the reform program.\n- The report highlights immediate and short-term measures to address key corruption issues, and structural reforms that require more time and resources to strengthen governance and initiate lasting change."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Major findings on governance weaknesses",
      "content": "- Governance weaknesses and corruption vulnerabilities are macro-critical in their own right and stand in the way of achieving the objectives of the reform program.\n- Key areas of concern identified include:\n  - Lack of clarity of authority and responsibility for core government functions.\n  - Limited financial and operational independence of essential accountability and law enforcement institutions.\n  - Insufficient transparency in government practices and performance, particularly relating to the planning, spending, and accounting for the use of public funds and assets.\n  - Barriers to inclusive, accessible, and rule-based means to enforce private agreements and to challenge official behaviour.\n  - Weak or inefficient mechanisms for making information public and holding organizations and individuals to account for their performance and behaviour."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Recommendations (design and focus)",
      "content": "- The recommendations form a coherent approach to improving governance through the following focus areas:\n  - Clarity of authority and responsibility for core functions.\n  - Financial and operational independence of essential accountability and law enforcement institutions.\n  - Transparency in government practices and performance, especially relating to the planning, spending, and accounting for the use of public funds and assets.\n  - Inclusive, accessible, and rule-based means to enforce private agreements and challenge official behaviour.\n  - Efficient mechanisms for making information public and holding organizations and individuals to account for their performance and behaviour."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Implementation sequencing",
      "content": "- Immediate and short-term measures:\n  - Target key corruption issues that can be addressed quickly to restore confidence and improve accountability.\n- Structural reforms:\n  - Require more time and resources but are essential to strengthen governance and initiate lasting change."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Subject areas and keywords covered",
      "content": "- Subject: Auditing, Budget planning and preparation, Corruption, Crime, International organization, Monetary policy, Public financial management (PFM), Revenue administration, Revenue administration transparency and accountability\n- Keywords: Asia and Pacific, Auditing, Budget planning and preparation, Corruption, Global, governance arrangement, governance concern, governance dynamics, governance weakness, revenue administration recommendation, Revenue administration transparency and accountability\n\nSri Lanka: Technical Assistance Report-Governance Diagnostic Assessment, IMF Staff Country Reports 2023, Issue 340, Pages: 139, DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400255977.002\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- 1lkaea2023002\n  - 1lkaea2023002 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - 1lkaea2023002 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}"
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    "Published: September 30, 2023",
    "Series: IMF Staff Country Reports",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400255977.002",
    "Recent years saw a confluence of shocks and policy missteps that led to a deep economic and governance crisis in Sri Lanka.",
    "Sri Lanka continues to face severe economic, social and governance challenges.",
    "The authorities requested IMF assistance to analyse governance weaknesses and corruption vulnerabilities that are macro-critical and impede the objectives of the reform program.",
    "The report highlights immediate and short-term measures to address key corruption issues, and structural reforms that require more time and resources to strengthen governance and initiate lasting change.",
    "Governance weaknesses and corruption vulnerabilities are macro-critical in their own right and stand in the way of achieving the objectives of the reform program.",
    "Key areas of concern identified include:",
    "The recommendations form a coherent approach to improving governance through the following focus areas:",
    "Immediate and short-term measures:",
    "Structural reforms:",
    "Subject: Auditing, Budget planning and preparation, Corruption, Crime, International organization, Monetary policy, Public financial management (PFM), Revenue administration, Revenue administration transparency and accountability",
    "Keywords: Asia and Pacific, Auditing, Budget planning and preparation, Corruption, Global, governance arrangement, governance concern, governance dynamics, governance weakness, revenue administration recommendation, Revenue administration transparency and accountability",
    "**1lkaea2023002**"
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