Civil Service Reform: Strengthening World Bank and IMF Collaboration (Directions in Development)

In September 2001, staff from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund met with the objective of strengthening collaboration between the two organizations in projects of civil service reform. This strengthened collaboration will have key benefits in ensuring consistency between the conflicting goals of the two organizations, establishing realistic objectives within the reform process, and maintaining a core set of wage and employment data. The principal conclusion arrived at was that World Bank and IMF staff should be engaging in collaboration earlier in the reform process. To guide the collaboration, six foundations were identified. These include: develop a medium-term fiscal framework; foster national ownership by making reforms politically feasible; focus and streamline conditionality; agree on sequencing and timing of reforms; and strengthen data collection. These principals will be tested for effectiveness in several focus countries. A Workshop Hosted By The World Bank And The Imf In September 2001 Provided A Forum For Those Organizations To Review The Effectiveness Of Bank-fund Advice And Programs On Civil Service Reform - And To Propose Ways To Improve Joint Effects In Coming Years. Workshop Participants Reviewed Case Studies On The Size And Structure Of The Civil Service In 11 Countries: Benin, Bolivia, Cambodia, The Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia, Mali, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tanzania, The Republic Of Yemen, And Zambia. They Also Considered Macrofiscal And Structural Outcomes Of Bank-fund Work In Those Countries. Civil Service Reform: Strengthening World Bank And Imf Collaboration Presents An Overview Of Major Objectives, Examines Recent Bank- And Fund-supported Interventions, And Proposes Ways To Reduce Poverty And Achieve Macroeconomic Stability Through The Effective Reform Of Civilian Central Government.--jacket. I. Introduction -- Ii. The Goals Of Civil Service Reform -- Iii. Civil Service Reforms In Bank- And Fund-supported Programs -- Iv. The Effectiveness Of Bank And Fund Interventions -- V. Bank-fund Collaboration In Civil Service Reform -- Annex 1. Civil Service Reform In Fund- And Bank-supported Programs. World Bank, International Monetary Fund. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. A workshop hosted by the World Bank and the IFM in september 2001 provided a forum for those organizations to review the effectiveness of Bank-Fund advice and programs on civil service reform - and to propose ways to improve joint efforts in coming years. Workshop participants reviewed case studies on the size and structure of the civil service in 11 countries : Benin, Bolivia, Cambodia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mali, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tanzania, the Republic of Yemen, and Zambia. They also considered macrofiscal and structural outcomes of Bank-Fund work in those countries. "Civil service reform : strengthening World Bank and IMF collaboration" provides background materials prepared by World Bank and IMF country teams for use at the workshop, presents conclusions reached that day, and identifies challenges to achieving civil service reform that is competent, sustainable, and accountable. Though not a primer on best practices, "Civil service reform" presents a overview of major objectives, examines recent Bank- and Fund-supported interventions, and proposes ways to reduce poverty and achieve macroeconomic stability through the effective reform of civilian central government. [4e de couv.] Contents......Page 4 Foreword......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Acronyms and Abbreviations......Page 12 I. Introduction......Page 14 II. The Goals of Civil Service Reform......Page 16 Fiscal Stability and Sustainability Concerns in the Country Cases......Page 17 Structural Concerns in the Country Cases......Page 21 Fund-Supported Programs......Page 23 Bank-Supported Programs......Page 25 IV. The Effectiveness of Bank and Fund Interventions......Page 27 Why Has Success Been Limited?......Page 28 V. Bank-Fund Collaboration in Civil Service Reform......Page 29 Principles for Collaboration......Page 31 Next Steps......Page 32 Bank-Supported Programs......Page 34 Benin......Page 39 Bolivia......Page 44 Cambodia......Page 48 Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of......Page 53 Mali......Page 58 Mongolia......Page 62 Pakistan......Page 66 The Russian Federation......Page 71 Tanzania......Page 76 Yemen, The Republic of......Page 81 Zambia......Page 86 Notes......Page 91 Tables......Page 5 Figures......Page 6 E......Page 94 M......Page 95 S......Page 96 Z......Page 97 In September 2001, staff from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund met with the objective of strengthening collaboration between the two organizations in projects of civil service reform. To guide the collaboration, six foundations were identified, and are discussed here. This paper sets out the principal aspects of civil service reform that were discussed at a workshop for World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF, or the Fund) staff on September 6, 2001.