See Part2 " See Part3 " See Part4 " See Part5 " See Part6 "

KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

 

 

 

THE
 MEDIUM-TERM EXPENDITURE
 FRAMEWORK FOR CAMBODIA:

2005-2007

 

FIRST DRAFT

 

 

 

 

MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE

 

Phnom Penh

 

January 2004

 

 

Please send your comments to Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Deputy Secretary General,Ministry of Economy and Finance by email: hangnaron@hotmail.com or hangnaron@yahoo.com

LIST OF ACRONYMS

 

 

AIA              ASEAN Investment Area

AICO            ASEAN Industrial Economic Cooperation

AFTA            ASEAN Free Trade Area

BFAD            Budget and Financial Affairs Department

CA               Civil Administration

CAR             Council for Administrative Reform,

CCJAP          Criminal Justice Assistance Project

CDC             Council for the Development of Cambodia

CED              Customs and Excise Department

CEPT            Common Effective Preferential Tariff Agreement

CLJR             Council for Legal and Judicial Reform

CMDG           Cambodian Millennium Development Goal

COA             Chart of Accounts

CPI               Consumer Price Index

DOT             Department of Taxation

DS                Defense and Security

EFA              Education for All

EFPPMU        Economic and Financial Policy Planning and Monitoring Unit

EFU              Economic and Financial Update

ESP              Education Strategic Plan

ESSP            Education Sector Support Program

EU                European Union

GAP             Governance Action Plan

GER              Gross Enrolment Rate

GDP             Gross Domestic Product

GSCSD          General Secretariat of the Council for Social Development

GSP              Generalized System of Preferences

GTZ              Gessellschaft fur Technishche Zusammernarbeitt (German Agency for

                    Technical Cooperation)

FDI               Foreign Direct Investment

FTB              Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia

HRMIS          Human Resource Management Information System

HSSP            Health Sector Support Project

IFAPER         Integrated Fiduciary Assessment and Public Expenditure Review

ILO              International Labor Organization

JICA             Japan International Cooperation Agency

MAFF            Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

MDG             Millennium Development Goal

MEF              Ministry of Economy and Finance

MOEYS          Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports

MOH             Ministry of Health

MOJ             Ministry of Justice

MOP             Ministry of Planning

MOWRAM     Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology

MRD             Ministry of Rural Development

MTBF            Medium Term Budget Framework

MTEF            Medium Term Expenditure Framework

MTFP            Medium Term Fiscal Plan

MTWF           Medium Term Wage Fund

MOWVA        Ministry of Women's and Veteran's Affairs

MPA             Minimum Package of Activities

NAA             National Audit Authority

NBC              National Bank of Cambodia

NER              Net Enrolment Rate

NGO             Non-Governmental Organization

NPAR           National Program for Administrative Reform

NPRS            National Poverty Reduction Strategy

ODA             Overseas Development Assistance

PAP              Priority Action Program

PIP               Public Investment Program

PMATU         Poverty Monitoring and Analysis Technical Unit

PMG             Priority Mission Group

PSI               Pre-Shipment Inspection

PTR              Pupil: Teacher Ratio

RGC             Royal Government of Cambodia

SEDP            Socio-Economic Development Plan

SNEC            Supreme National Economic Council

TCAP            Technical Coordination Assistance Program

TVET            Technical, Vocational Education and Training

WTO            World Trade Organization

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1. INTRODUCTION                                                                                                  8

 

1.1. The Conceptual Philosophy of the MTEF                                                                  8

1.2. Key Elements of a Well-Functioning MTEF                                                                9

1.3. The Process of MTEF Preparation                                                                            11     

2. OPERATIONALIZING AN MTEF: A ROADMAP                                                     13

 

2.1. Top Down Elements                                                                                              13

2.1.1. A System of Establishing Society's Priorities                                                           13

2.1.2. Explicit Fiscal Targets                                                                                          13

2.1.3. Hard but sustainable aggregate and sectoral expenditure ceilings                             14

2.2. Bottom Up Elements                                                                                              14

2.2.1. Medium-term estimates of the cost of government policies

         and programs: baseline                                                                                       14

2.2.2. Medium-term estimates of the cost of government policies/

         programs: new or above the baseline                                                                   14

2.3. Constraints to Implementing the MTEF                                                                    15

 

PART I: MACROECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REFORMS

 

3. MACROECONOMIC PERFORMANCE: ISSUES AND POLICIES                                17

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. The Conceptual Philosophy of the MTEF
1.2. Key Elements of a Well-Functioning MTEF  
1.3. The Process of MTEF Preparation
2. OPERATIONALIZING AN MTEF: A ROADMAP        
2.1. Top Down Elements
2.1.1. A System of Establishing Society's Priorities         

2.1.2. Explicit Fiscal Targets                                                                                 

2.1.3. Hard but sustainable aggregate and sectoral expenditure ceilings                    

2.2. Bottom Up Elements                                                                                     

2.2.1. Medium-term estimates of the cost of government policies and programs: 
         baseline                                                                                 

2.2.2. Medium-term estimates of the cost of government policies/

         programs: new or above the baseline                                                          

2.3. Constraints to Implementing the MTEF                                                           

   

                                          

                                             

8 
8
9
11
13
13
13

13  
14
14
14

14

15

 

PART I: MACROECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REFORMS

 

3. MACROECONOMIC PERFORMANCE: ISSUES AND POLICIES                                   17

 

3.1.          Overview                                                                                                         17
3.2.          Growth and Performance                                                                                   21
3.3.          Inflation                                                                                                           24
3.4.    Trade, Exchange rates and Investment                                                                      25
3.5.          Balance of Payments                                                                                         29

3.6. Performance in 2003                                                                                                  29

3.7. Future Economic Challenges                                                                                        31

3.7.1.          Narrow-based growth                                                                                     31

3.7.2. Rapid Population Growth                                                                                         32

3.7.3. China's Accession to the WTO                                                                                  33

3.7.4. Policy Response to the Development Challenges                                                         34

3.8. Overall Growth Outlook for 2004-2008                                                                        37

3.9. External Sector Outlook                                                                                              38

3.10. Alternative Macroeconomic Scenarios                                                                         39

3.11. Monetary Developments                                                                                           40

 4. GOVERNANCE REFORM                                                                                          43 

4.1. Forestry Reform                                                                                                       43

4.2. Legal and Judicial Reform                                                                                         47

4.3. Administrative Reform                                                                                             48

4.3.1. Staff Progression, Performance Monitoring and Transfer                                           50

4.3.2. Control and Disciplinary Mechanisms, Including Controls on Absenteeism                  51

4.3.3. The Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)                              51

4.4. Anti-Corruption                                                                                                      51

4.5. Decentralization and Local Governance                                                                      52

4.6. Gender Developments                                                                                             54

 

5. STRUCTURAL REFORMS                                                                                       57

 

5.1.    Private Sector Development                                                                                 57

5.2.          Financial Sector Reforms                                                                               60

5.2.1. Financial Sector Development Plan, 2001-2010                                                     60

5.2.2. Banking Reform                                                                                                62

5.2.3.          Implementation of the Financial Sector Blueprint                                         65

5.2.4. Rural Credit                                                                                                     67

5.3.          Institutional Development and Human-Resource Capacity Building                   68  

6. RESOURCE MOBILIZATION FOR PUBLIC EXPENDITURE                                  70

 

6.1. Supporting Revenue Policy and Administration                                                      70

6.1.1. The Objectives of Fiscal Reforms in 1999-2003                                                  70

6.1.2.          Revenue Mobilization                                                                              71

6.1.2.1. Tax Reforms                                                                                                72

6.1.2.2. Structural Tax Policy Measures                                                                       74

6.1.2.3.Tax Administration                                                                                        75

6.1.2.4. Tax Reform Program in 2003-2004                                                                75

6.1.2.5. Customs Reforms                                                                                         77                                                                                         

6.1.2.6. Tariff Restructuring                                                                                      78

6.1.2.7.Customs Reforms Measures                                                                           79

6.2. Fiscal Performance
6.2.1. Tax revenue                                                                                                                                           
 82 
 
82
   

6.2. Non-tax revenue                                                                                              84

6.3. Projected Revenue for 2004-2008                                                                      84

6.4. The Budget Deficit and Its Financing                                                                   86

 

7. EXPENDITURE PROJECTION AND POLICIES                                                  88

 

7.1. Budget Execution in 2002-2003: Achievements and Challenges                              88

7.2. Medium-term Budget Framework                                                                        92

7.3. Current Expenditure and Its Strategic Priorities                                                     92

7.4. Interest Payment                                                                                              96

7.5. Medium Term Wage Bill Framework                                                                   96

7.6. Public Investment                                                                                            100

7.7. Debt Amortization                                                                                           101

7.8. Risks                                                                                                              101

7.9. Strengthening Public Expenditure Management                                                   101

7.10. Expenditure Rationalization                                                                             101
7.11. Strengthening Economic and Financial Management                                           101

7.11.1. National Treasury Reform                                                                             102

7.11.2.   Budget Management                                                                                  103

7.11.3. Integrated Fiduciary Assessment and Public Expenditure Review                       104

 

PART II        SECTORAL PRIORITIES                                           

8. MTEF FOR THE EDUCATION SECTOR                                                             107

8.1. Key policies, strategies and targets                                                                    108

8.2. Partnership arrangements, processes and factors                                                111

8.3. Progress Review                                                                                             111

8.3.1. Primary education: poverty impact and main strategies                                    112

8.3.2. Secondary education: poverty impact and main strategies                                113

8.7.3. Changes in education budget allocations and shares 1999-2003                       113

8.7.4. Budget and PAP release rates 2002                                                               115

8.7.5. Trends in donor and NGO support 1999-2003                                                116

8.4. Financing Framework for the Medium Term                                                       117

8.4.1. Education budget and financing scenarios                                                       118

8.4.2. Assessing Policy Consistency in Budget Planning                                              121

8.5.          Education Reform Monitoring and Indicators                                             123

8.5.1. Impact Analysis by Access to Education                                                          123

8.5.2.           Impact Analysis by Gender and Ethnic Minority                                      124

8.5.3.   Impact Analysis in Education in Remote Areas                                               126

8.5.4.   Education Decentralization: Quality Issues                                                     128

8.5.5.  Selected Performance Indicators and Targets                                                  128

9. MTEF FOR THE HEALTH SECTOR                                                                   129

9. 1.Key Policies, Strategies and Targets                                                                   130

9.2.Partnership Arrangements, Process and Factors                                                   135

9.3.Progress Review                                                                                               136

9.3.1.Improving Accessibility to Health Services Among the Poor                                137

9.3.2. Change in Health Budget Allocations and Share 1999-2003                               137

9.3.3  Budget and PAP Release Rates 2003                                                               139

9.4. Trends in Donor and NGO Support 1999-2003                                                   142

9.5. Financing Framework for the Medium Term                                                        142

9.5.1. Areas of Concern                                                                                          145

9.5.2.    Priorities for 2004 – 2005                                                                           145

9.6.  Health Sector Reform Monitoring and Indicators                                                 146

 

10. AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT                                                149

 

10.1.  Sector Overview                                                                                           149

10.2.  Major Sectoral Issues                                                                                    151

10.3.  Key Policies, Strategies and Targets                                                       &n