Technical Assistance Reports
2024
August 9, 2024
Samoa: Technical Assistance Report-Central Bank Risk Management
Description: This report provides an overview of the assistance provided by the IMF to the Central Bank of Samoa on enhancing its risk management in line with international best practices for central banks.
August 9, 2024
Seychelles: Technical Assistance Report-Central Bank Strategic Planning
Description: This report provides an overview of the assistance provided by the IMF to the Central Bank of the Seychelles in reviewing and updating its strategic plan, in line with international best practices for central banks.
August 7, 2024
Kenya: Technical Assistance Report-Improving the Business Surveys and the Nowcasting Framework at the Central Bank of Kenya
Description: At the request of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), a technical assistance (TA) mission from the Monetary and Capital Markets (MCM) department visited Nairobi, Kenya, from April 17–21, 2023, to help improve the CBK’s Forecasting and Policy Analysis System (FPAS). The main objectives were to improve the CBK’s business surveys and strengthen its nowcasting framework for GDP and CPI inflation. The mission held interactive technical sessions with CBK staff and provided detailed recommendations for refining survey questions and integrating survey results into the policy process. It developed EViews programs for efficient survey data management and the conversion of qualitative data to quantitative data using the Balance of Opinion approach. Moreover, the mission improved the nowcasting framework by fixing and enhancing the EViews-based platform and developing tools for automated model evaluation. Regarding CBK business surveys, the mission recommended (i) streamlining survey questions and timing to better inform nowcasts and projections, (ii) creating a firm registry to track survey respondents and ensure sample representativeness, and (iii) automating the survey data pipeline and consolidating historical results into a time series. Regarding the nowcasting framework, the mission suggested (i) integrating quantified survey results into the nowcasting models, (ii) continuing to refine the nowcasting framework at a disaggregated level, and (iii) expanding the database of leading indicators and assessing new models using the forecast evaluation framework.
August 2, 2024
Saint Kitts and Nevis: Technical Assistance Report-Report on Improving Estimates of Gross Domestic Product Mission (June 5–16, 2023)
Description: A CARTAC National Accounts technical assistance mission to St Kitts and Nevis, re-referenced the volume estimates of quarterly GDP for the years 2012–2022 using 2018 as the base and reference year from the previous 2006 base year. The series were developed for both Saint Kitts and for Nevis and a combined series for the Federal aggregate. The re-referencing exercise provided an opportunity to introduce some other improvements. Notably, the calculation of Final Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured (FISIM) consumed by each economic sector businesses and its allocation to economic activities. The updated series were also prepared using the International Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activity (ISIC) revision 4 . These improvements align the updated GDP series with the standards set out in the 2008 System of National Accounts. In addition, the current price estimates of GDP by expenditure were also reviewed.
August 2, 2024
Ukraine: Technical Assistance Report-Report on the Residential Property Price Index Mission (April 8–12, 2024)
Description: A technical assistance (TA) mission was conducted from April 8–12, 2024, to assist the State Statistical Service of Ukraine (SSSU) with a methodological review of their House Price Index (HPI). The mission assessed the existing data and methodology used for the compilation of the HPI and made recommendations for improvements as required, in line with international statistical standards. The mission completed the following tasks: (i) undertake a review of the listings data collected by the SSSU and the data preparation being applied, (ii) assess the stratification and hedonic methods used for the HPI, (iii) review the weights and aggregation procedures used to compile the national index, (iv) provide guidance on the dissemination of the HPI, and (v) provide practical training to staff in the SSSU.
August 2, 2024
Sierra Leone: Technical Assistance Report-Climate Module of the Public Investment Management Assessment
Description: Sierra Leone faces significant climate-related challenges, including rising temperatures, unpredictable precipitation patterns, and increased risks of extreme weather events, which threaten its infrastructure and coastal communities. This assistance assessed Sierra Leone's public investment management through the Climate Module of the Public Investment Management Assessment (C-PIMA). Sierra Leone was found to perform moderately well in some areas of the C-PIMA, but there were key gaps in other areas, often linked to weaknesses in the underlying public investment management framework. The assistance found that addressing these persisting core public investment management challenges is a prerequisite for effective climate-sensitive public investment management.
July 31, 2024
Philippines: Technical Assistance Report - Report on the Residential Property Price Index Mission (January 22-26, 2024)
Description: A technical assistance (TA) mission was conducted from January 22–26, 2024, to assist the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) with the development of hedonic methods for their property price statistics. The mission’s primary focus was the Residential Property Price Index (RPPI). The mission completed the following tasks: (i) assisted the BSP to apply hedonic methods for the compilation of the RPPI using the existing loan information, (ii) provided practical training to staff, (iii) helped devise a strategy for dissemination of the revised results, and (iv) made recommendations on accessing and using more comprehensive administrative data sources for the compilation of property price statistics.
July 31, 2024
Cambodia: Technical Assistance Report - Customs Management on Special Economic Zones and Qualified Investment Projects
Description: This Technical Assistance Report summarizes the capacity development support on special economic zone management, provided by IMF expert to Cambodia customs administration, including suggested standard operating procedure, materials used in workshop, and advice on the next steps.
July 31, 2024
Seychelles: Technical Assistance Report - Report on Consumer Price Index Mission
Description: The primary objective of the mission was to assess the concepts and methods used to compile the consumer price index (CPI) for Seychelles. The report identifies and discusses recommendations for improvement to ensure the CPI more broadly reflects the standards and best practices described in the 2020 CPI Manual. Additionally, a detailed work plan to guide the authorities on the way forward with improving the CPI has been included.
July 31, 2024
Ukraine: Technical Assistance Report - Report on Consumer Price Index Mission
Description: New data sources are now available in many countries to supplement direct collection of prices for the consumer price index (CPI). This technical assistance mission supported the State Statistics Services of Ukraine with incorporating scanner data from the State Tax Service electronic sales monitoring system into the CPI.