津巴布韦：公共部门债务统计数据质量评估2025

ZIMBABWE Data Quality Assessment for Public Sector DebtStatistics (February 6–12, 2025) June2025 Prepared ByAndrew Kitili and David Bailey PARTNERS: DISCLAIMER The contents of this document constitute a high-level summary of technical advice provided by the staff ofthe International Monetary Fund (IMF) to the authorities of a member country or international agency(the "CD recipient") in response to their request for capacity development. Unless the CD recipientspecifically objects within 30 business days of its transmittal, the IMF will publish this high-level summaryon IMF.org (seeStaff Operational Guidance on the Dissemination of Capacity Development Information). 2025 International Monetary Fund HLS/25/22 High-Level Summary Technical Assistance ReportStatistics Department Zimbabwe – Data Quality Assessment for Public Sector Debt Statistics Prepared by Andrew Kitili and David Bailey TheHigh-Level Summary Technical Assistance Reportseries provides high-level summaries ofthe assistance provided to IMF capacity development recipients, describing the high-levelobjectives, findings, and recommendations. ABSTRACT:In February 2025, an assessment was undertaken of the data quality of the public sectordebt statistics (PSDS) of the Republic of Zimbabwe against the IMF’s Data Quality AssessmentFramework (DQAF) for PSDS. The assessment was undertaken as part of a project to strengthen thequality of public sector debt statistics in selected African countries, funded by the Government of Japan.The assessment reviewed the PSDS compilation and dissemination practices against each element ofthe DQAF and presented a series of recommendations to improve the quality and transparency of thePSDS of the Republic of Zimbabwe. JEL Classification Numbers H63, H81, H83 (consulthttps://www.aeaweb.org/econlit/jelCodes.php)Keywords: Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF), Debt Reporting, Debt Transparency, JSA, PublicDebt, Public Sector Debt Statistics (PSDS), Zimbabwe Background 1.Zimbabwe has received significant capacity development (CD) from the IMF StatisticsDepartment in the recent past to support the Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance, EconomicDevelopment and Investment Promotion (MoFEDIP) in improving the quality of PSDS compilation.Technical assistance (TA) provided to the Public Debt Management Office of Zimbabwe (ZPDMO) hasbeen facilitated through the Data for Decision (D4D) Trust Fund (2019, 2021, and 2023). TArecommendations have focused on broadening the coverage of PSDS and on improving to the coverage,accuracy, and consistency, of source data. Although initially the COVID-19 pandemic impacted negativelythe pace of progress in implementing the STA TA recommendations, this has shifted recently and therehas been a renewed commitment to providing more timely and more comprehensive public debt reports. 2.Against this background, the main objective of the mission was to use the IMF’sstandardized Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF) to identify areas of improvement inPSDS compilation and dissemination processes and recommend priority actions to helpZimbabwe enhance public debt data transparency.Discussions with various stakeholders as well asreview of data received and published indicate that Zimbabwe’s public debt statistics are broadly reliableand continue to improve. In particular, the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD)noted with appreciation ZPDMO’s remarkable progress in improving debt transparency in recent years:“public debt reports are timely, comprehensive, and facilitate further simplification for layman’sunderstanding of what the size of public debt means to the common man.” Compilation methods broadlyfollow international statistical standards, but sustained commitment is needed to enhance debt datatransparency and accountability. Summary of Findings 3.Legal Environment:The responsibility for collecting, processing, and disseminating public debtstatistics in Zimbabwe is clearly specified and well established in the law. The Public Debt ManagementAct [Chapter 22:21] of September 2015 (PDM Act) assigns the responsibility of public debt managementto ZPDMO. The Act also bestows the responsibility of compiling, verifying, and reporting public debtarrears (including domestic arrears to service providers), and monitoring and reporting implicit and explicitpublic sector contingent liabilities. ZPDMO functions are audited annually by the Auditor-General and theReport submitted to Parliament. 4.Institutional Environment:Working arrangements of ZPDMO align with its assignedresponsibilities which are well executed by its front-office, middle-office, and the back-office, all with acombined staff complement of around thirty. The core responsibility of data collection, processing andvalidation is done by the latter. There is evidence of strong and frictionless oversight provided by the topmanagement of ZPDMO. Data sharing and coordination among data-producing agencies is adequate.The flow of i