Development Finance International
10 October - Ministerial Meeting in Washington: LIC Countries Are Worried
DFI pursued its support for the network of low income Francophone countries with the latest OIF ministerial meeting at the BWI Annual Meetings. A wide range of development financing issues was discussed – LIC representation in the G20, debt relief, sustainability and architecture - but the ministers' main concern was the potential risks to their tax revenues caused by G8 and G20 decisions. They therefore urged the G8, G20 and the OECD to permanently include LIC countries in the formal decision making process so that their needs are taken into account. With support from OIF and regional organisations, LIC countries are planning to undertake their own studies analysing the potential negative impact of other countries' tax policies on their revenues. DFI will report on these studies on this website. The next meeting is scheduled around the BWI Spring Meetings in April 2014.
9 October -The AfDB Consults Countries on its Future Credit Policy
The AfDB commissioned DRI to facilitate a meeting in Washington to consult senior representatives of ministries from “potential” borrowing countries from the pilot facility on its planned future credit policy. 13 countries attended the consultation seminar, among which 6 presented national case studies detailing their priority unfunded national/regional infrastructure projects, their current and planned funding sources for infrastructure, their prospects for debt sustainability, and how AfDB funds would be useful to their development financing. The other countries were invited to make short presentations on their own country’s responses to the pilot proposal, based on a comprehensive questionnaire they had previously received. A background study based on this preliminary consultation and researched by DRI will be finalised shortly.
28 Sept - 7 Oct - DeMPA Mission to Bengladesh
A joint World Bank-DRI mission visited Dhaka in Bangladesh to assess debt management activities in the country based on the DeMPA methodology developed by the World Bank. The mission met with staff from various institutions involved in debt management such as the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Bangladesh, and presented its preliminary assessment to the authorities. The mission will finalise the report and submit it the Bangla authorities.
9-20 September - Reform Plan Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
A joint World Bank-DRI mission visited Sarajevo to produce a reform program based on the previous DeMPA assessment for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mission met with staff from various institutions involved in debt management such as the Ministry of Finance, Central Bank and other and presented its preliminary assessment to the authorities. The mission will finalize the report and submit it the Bosnian Federation authorities
4-14 September - Reform Plan Mission to Niger
At the request of the Niger authorities, a joint World Bank/Debt Relief International mission visited Niamey to prepare a debt management Reform Plan. The mission was a follow-up to the DeMPA mission of March 2012 which revealed certain weaknesses. In collaboration with the local authorities, the mission proposed four major areas of reforms in terms of governance, debt management strategy, external borrowing procedures and operational risks.
