Domestic Resource Mobilization And Financial Development

This book provides insights into the evolving debate regarding the mobilization of domestic resources and the crucial role that financial development can and should play in this regard, exploring aspects of the financial development–domestic resource mobilization nexus, including country case studies.

Public spending plays a key role in the economic growth and development of most developing economies. This book analyzes revenues, policy, and administration of Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) in developing countries. It provides a broad landscape of practical examples, drawing from lessons learned in World Bank operations across Global Practices over the past several decades. It should be thought of as a starting point for a more comprehensive research agenda rather than a complete inventory itself. This book reviews the trends in tax revenue collection in developing countries. It provides an overview of efforts to close the revenue gap, many of which have been supported by World Bank operations. The book reviews the special challenges facing low income countries, which have traditionally relied on indirect revenues in the context of limited formalization of their economies. An overview of tax policy and administration reform programs is presented, with an overview of outstanding issues that will shape the policy agenda in years ahead.

There is real promise for developing economies in the mobilization of their own domestic resources. For example, in 2010, tax revenue on the Africa continent was eight times larger than the foreign assistance received. And as aid levels from wealthy nations continue to be uncertain, countries have an impetus to finance their own development in order to deliver responsible, transparent public services—all of which require a strong tax base from the formal sector. The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation, launched in 2011 at Busan, relies heavily on this principle of domestic resource mobilization as a means of country ownership. How we leverage the expertise of donor governments in partnership with local governments in implementing this agenda is key to its success.

One of the most prominent objectives of the Millennium Development Goals is to have member States halve their levels of absolute poverty by 2015. Whilst some developing countries are making progress towards this target, recent statistics show indicate that in the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa the numbers living in poverty is increasing. One of the reasons for this is its relatively low rate of economic growth.This year's Economic Development in Africa report examines the potential of African countries to strengthen domestic financial resource mobilisation, in order to reduce dependence on official development assistance (ODA), and diversify their development resources and channel these resources to productive investments. It highlights the need for "developmental States" in Africa with the required policy space to design and implement policies that address their priorities and make optimal use of available resources in a way that leads to a virtuous circle of accumulation, investment, growth and poverty reduction.