Course Overview

This program equips participants with the knowledge and practical skills required to compile, analyze, and report Government Finance Statistics (GFS) and Public Sector Debt Statistics (PSDS) in line with international standards. It aligns with the IMF GFSM 2014, Public Sector Debt Statistics Guide, World Bank Debtor Reporting System (DRS), and global best practices for fiscal transparency, debt sustainability, and macroeconomic surveillance.

Participants will learn how to strengthen national statistical systems, improve fiscal reporting, and support evidence‑based policymaking in government and donor‑funded environments.

2. Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Understand the conceptual framework of GFS and PSDS.

• Apply IMF GFSM 2014 classifications and accounting rules.

• Compile fiscal data for general government and public sector entities.

• Prepare public sector debt statistics aligned with international standards.

• Analyze fiscal performance, debt sustainability, and fiscal risks.

• Strengthen data quality, validation, and dissemination practices.

• Produce GFS and PSDS reports required by the World Bank, IMF, and national authorities.

3. Target Audience

• Ministry of Finance and Treasury officials

• National statistical office (NSO) staff

• Central bank economists and statisticians

• Public debt management units

• Fiscal policy analysts and macroeconomic planners

• World Bank–funded project teams

• Auditors and public financial management (PFM) specialists

• Researchers in public finance and macroeconomics

4. Detailed Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to GFS & PSDS

• Importance of fiscal and debt statistics for macroeconomic stability

• Role of GFS and PSDS in World Bank and IMF surveillance

• Overview of GFSM 2014 and PSDS frameworks

• Institutional coverage: budgetary central government, general government, public sector

• Key challenges in developing‑country statistical systems

Module 2: IMF GFSM 2014 Framework

• Core concepts: stocks, flows, assets, liabilities

• Accrual accounting vs. cash accounting

• Economic classification of revenue, expenditure, and transactions

• Functional classification of government activities

• Balance sheet approach to public finance

Module 3: Compilation of Government Finance Statistics

• Data sources for GFS (treasury systems, administrative records, surveys)

• Recording revenue, expense, transactions in assets and liabilities

• Classification of government expenditure (COFOG)

• Compilation of fiscal balances and net lending/borrowing

• Reconciliation of fiscal data across institutions

Module 4: Public Sector Debt Statistics (PSDS) Framework

• Debt concepts: gross vs. net debt, domestic vs. external

• Debt instruments: loans, securities, SDRs, deposits, guarantees

• Institutional coverage of public sector debt

• Valuation, currency composition, and maturity structure

• Recording arrears and contingent liabilities

Module 5: External Debt & World Bank Debtor Reporting System (DRS)

• World Bank DRS reporting requirements

• External debt classification and reporting templates

• Debt service projections and amortization schedules

• Data validation and reconciliation

• Case studies from World Bank–supported debt reforms

Module 6: Fiscal Analysis & Debt Sustainability

• Fiscal indicators: deficit, primary balance, debt‑to‑GDP ratio

• Debt sustainability analysis (DSA) frameworks

• IMF–World Bank LIC‑DSF methodology

• Fiscal risks from SOEs, PPPs, and guarantees

• Using GFS and PSDS for macroeconomic forecasting

Module 7: Data Quality, Governance & Dissemination

• Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF)

• Metadata documentation and dissemination standards

• Transparency and fiscal reporting (PEFA, Open Budget Index)

• Revision policies and data governance

• Strengthening institutional coordination (MoF, NSO, CB, regulators)

Module 8: Digital Tools & Modernization of Fiscal Statistics

• Treasury Single Account (TSA) and IFMIS systems

• Digital debt management systems (DMFAS, CS‑DRMS)

• Automation of GFS and PSDS compilation

• Data visualization and dashboarding tools

• Integrating big data and analytics in fiscal reporting

Module 9: GFS & PSDS in World Bank and IMF Programs

• Use of GFS/PSDS in Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD)

• Fiscal reporting in Development Policy Operations (DPOs)

• GFS/PSDS in IMF Article IV consultations

• Case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America

• Lessons learned from global fiscal transparency reforms

Module 10: Practical Exercises & Capstone Project

• Compiling a GFS table using real or simulated data

• Preparing a public sector debt statistics (PSDS) matrix

• Conducting a simplified debt sustainability analysis

• Designing a fiscal reporting improvement plan

• Capstone: Produce a GFS & PSDS report for a simulated country

5. Training Methodology

• Expert‑led lectures and guided discussions

• Hands‑on data compilation and analysis exercises

• Case studies from World Bank and IMF programs

• Group work and scenario‑based simulations

• Practical sessions using GFS and PSDS templates

• Capstone project with peer and instructor feedback

6. Deliverables & Outputs

Participants will receive:

• A GFS & PSDS Toolkit (frameworks, templates, datasets)

• GFS and PSDS reporting templates aligned with GFSM 2014

• Debt sustainability and fiscal analysis tools

• Capstone project report and presentation

• Certificate of Completion from Regewall Training Institute