Background

The availability and implementation of a debt management strategy is important for effective public debt management, especially in times of crisis like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A medium-term debt management strategy (MTDS) provides guidance to governments on the optimal financing options in terms of their costs and risks. It also enhances policy coordination and intra-government coordination at a time when government processes are disrupted by uncertainties associated with crises. It also enhances transparency and communication with creditors and markets, which can potentially reduce costs in the medium-term by reducing uncertainty. Lessons from the past crises indicate that countries that had debt management strategies navigated through turbulent times much better than those that did not have formal strategies.

MEFMI will conduct a face-to-face regional workshop on the use of the IMF/World Bank MTDS Analytical Tool to develop a debt management strategy and its implementation through the development of an Annual Borrowing Plan (ABP), and more specifically a domestic debt issuance calendar.

Objectives

1. To train officials in member countries on the use of the IMF/World Bank MTDS and Annual Borrowing Plan (ABP) Analytical Tools (ATs) for developing a debt management strategy and the development of an Annual Borrowing Plan, respectively.

Course Content

The course will cover the following topics:

1. Overview of the MTDS framework and description of the revised Analytical Tool (AT);
2. Identifying the objectives and scope for a debt management strategy;

• Debt management and macroeconomic framework (fiscal policy, monetary policy, balance of payments, real sector);

1. Market rates (interest rate and exchange rates);
2. Funding sources;
3. Designing alternative debt management strategies;

• Importance, benefits and requirements of developing an ABP;
• Walk-though the IMF/World Bank ABP Analytical Tool;

1. Connection between cash and debt management; and
2. Debt issuance calendar.

Target Audience

Middle to senior officials in debt management middle offices, domestic debt management, cash management and financial markets departments in Ministries of Finance, Economic Planning and Development and Financial Markets departments of Central Banks.