Background

Ensuring comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date debt data in member countries is one of the main priorities of MEFMI. Together with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC), MEFMI has continuously provided capacity-building and technical assistance services aimed at strengthening debt databases in the member countries. However, capacity gaps remain due to high staff turnover in most client institutions and the absence of documented procedures manuals for debt data management. This is evidenced by the deficiencies in recording, monitoring, and disseminating accurate and timely debt data.

To enhance the quality of debt data, UNCTAD and COMSEC have developed the debt data quality assessment framework (DQAF). This is a tool for assessing and monitoring the quality of data in the debt management systems throughout the life cycle of a debt instrument, from contraction to maturity. The framework also aims to enhance the data validation process through a ‘tool’ that is embedded in the DMFAS and CS-Meridian, which measures and assesses data errors and information gaps.

MEFMI, jointly with COMSEC and UNCTAD, will conduct a face-to-face regional workshop aimed at disseminating and raising awareness of the DQAF and how it can be used to identify errors and enhance the quality of debt data in the member countries.

Objectives

1. To introduce participants to the debt data quality assessment framework; and
2. To provide a platform to discuss challenges in debt data management and proffer solutions.

Course Content

1. Overview of D-DQA;
2. Debt data validation process; and

• Debt database quality assessment process.

Target Audience

Mid-level to senior staff in debt management offices of the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning as well as Central Banks.