Reforming Fiscal and Economic Management in Afghanistan (Directions in Development)

Ministers of Finance in post-conflict countries face unique challenges. At a turbulent time when both financial and human resources are limited, what should a finance ministry do - and, more importantly, not do? Which countries offer successful examples of reform that can be used as models for finance ministry reform in other countries? Reforming Fiscal and Economic Management in Afghanistan sets out the impressive policy and institutional reforms made by the interim and transitional administrations of Afghanistan since the Bonn conference in November 2001. It explores the complexities of managing the significant amount of development assistance and donor interest while balancing the need to respond to donor priorities and to build strong public-sector institutions. The book demonstrates that the budget must be the primary vehicle for developing and then implementing policy, and shows how this strategy has shaped the renewal of Afghanistan's finance ministry. The volume closes with a specific agenda for finance ministry reform and restructuring. Although this edited volume is focused on Afghanistan, the questions raised have broad relevance for other countries seeking to restart economic and fiscal management following conflict. Reforming Fiscal and Economic Management in Afghanistan will be of great interest to finance ministries, national governments, international and nongovernmental organizations, and research institutions, and to anyone interested in post-conflict reconstruction and reform.

Ministers of Finance in post-conflict countries face unique challenges. At a turbulent time when both financial and human resources are limited, what should a finance ministry do - and, more importantly, not do? Which countries offer successful examples of reform that can be used as models for finance ministry reform in other countries?

Reforming Fiscal and Economic Management in Afghanistan sets out the impressive policy and institutional reforms made by the interim and transitional administrations of Afghanistan since the Bonn conference in November 2001. It explores the complexities of managing the significant amount of development assistance and donor interest while balancing the need to respond to donor priorities and to build strong public sector institutions. The book demonstrates that the budget must be the primary vehicle for developing and then implementing policy, and shows how this strategy has shaped the renewal of Afghanistan's finance ministry. The volume closes with a specific agenda for finance ministry reform and restructuring.

Although this edited volume is focused on Afghanistan, the questions raised have broad relevance for other countries seeking to restart economic and fiscal management following conflict. Reforming Fiscal and Economic Management in Afghanistan will be of great interest to finance ministries, national governments, international and nongovernmental organizations, and research institutions, as well as to anyone interested in post-conflict reconstruction and reform.

The paper cover two broad themes in the recent reform of fiscal and economic management in Afghanistan. The first part, The Journey So Far, sets out the impressive policy and institutional reforms that the Interim and Transitional Administrations have made since the Bonn conference in November 2001. It provides some details of the challenges faced by the Ministry of Finance, and very particularly the complexities of managing intensive donor interest and significant volumes of development assistance, while balancing the need for responsiveness to donor priorities with a concern to build institutional strengths of the public sector. The section notes the complexity of the vested interests that had built up within the administration during the Soviet and Taliban periods, and the need to revive, while simultaneously reforming, the fiscal management processes. The second part, Current Priorities, explores the fiscal and economic management tasks that the Ministry of Finance is now confronted with. The section opens with a review of the strategic options for structuring the Ministry of Finance, and the additional challenges and opportunities presented by the new constitution. The revised budget law is perhaps the most significant and far-reaching of the institutional reforms planned. The significance of the municipalities as a potential platform for enhanced service delivery to an increasingly urbanized population is also noted "Reforming Fiscal and Economic Management in Afghanistan sets out the impressive policy and institutional reforms made by the interim and transitional administrations of Afghanistan since the Bonn conference in November 2001. It explores the complexities of managing the significant amount of development assistance and donor interest while balancing the need to respond to donor priorities and to build strong public-sector institutions. The book demonstrates that the budget must be the primary vehicle for developing and then implementing policy, and shows how this strategy has shaped the renewal of Afghanistan's finance ministry. The volume closes with a specific agenda for finance ministry reform and restructuring." "Reforming Fiscal and Economic Management in Afghanistan will be of great interest to finance ministries, national governments, international and nongovernmental organizations, and research institutions - and to anyone interested in post-conflict reconstruction and reform."--BOOK JACKET. 'This edited volume builds on papers prepared for a World Bank workshop in Washington D.C., April 7 and 8, 2003'--Intro.Includes bibliographical references (p. 150) and index.Access restricted to subscribing libraries.Electronic reproduction.Boulder, Colo. :NetLibrary,2004.Available via World Wide Web.Access may be limited to NetLibrary affiliated libraries.