Guidance Note For Developing Government Local Currency Bond Markets

This guidance note was prepared by International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group staff under a project undertaken with the support of grants from the Financial Sector Reform and Strengthening Initiative, (FIRST).The aim of the project was to deliver a report that provides emerging market and developing economies with guidance and a roadmap in developing their local currency bond markets (LCBMs). This note will also inform technical assistance missions in advising authorities on the formulation of policies to deepen LCBMs.

In November 2011, the G-20 endorsed an action plan to support the development of local currency bond markets (LCBM). International institutions—the IMF, the World Bank, the EBRD, and the OECD—were asked to draw on their experience to develop a diagnostic framework (DF) to identify general preconditions, key components, and constraints for successful LCBM development. The objective is to provide a tool for analyzing the state of development and efficiency of local currency bond markets. The application of the DF is expected to be flexible, bearing in mind that the potential for LCBM development depends on economic size, financing needs, and stage of economic development.

Local currency bond markets in ASEAN+3 play an important role in diversifying financial intermediary channels and mitigating the impacts of financial crises. They also have the potential to help mobilize developing Asia's significant savings to meet the region's enormous infrastructure investment needs. Drawing extensively on knowledge generated by the ASEAN+3 Bond Market Forum, the publication looks at the essential building blocks and the enabling environment for these markets, as well as the roles of government, relevant authorities, and market participants.

At the request of the authorities, an IMF team undertook a technical assistance mission to Botswana, from August 17–26, 2022, to support efforts to develop the local currency government bond market. The mission assessed the current stage of the sovereign debt market and formulated policy recommendations for each of the six building blocks included in the Guidance Note for Developing Local Currency Bond Markets.

This handbook is a comprehensive and authoritative reference for both senior policymakers—those responsible for the development of government bond markets in their own countries—and all individuals responsible for guiding the market development process at the operational level—those who have a substantial need to understand the policy issues involved.

This report provides updates on the bond market in Hong Kong, China since the publication of the ASEAN+3 Bond Market Guide 2016: Hong Kong, China. It also highlights those changes and developments that have a connection to the bond market of the People’s Republic of China. The ASEAN+3 Bond Market Guide series provides member-specific information on the investment climate, rules, laws, opportunities, and characteristics of local bond markets in Asia and the Pacific. It aims to help bond market issuers, investors, and financial intermediaries understand the local context and to encourage greater participation in the region’s rapidly developing bond markets.

This guidance note aims to help bond issuers and their advisors to understand the process and key considerations for a successful green bond issuance. Demand for green bonds and other sustainable finance products is increasing rapidly, and issuers are seeing an opportunity to be part of the green bond market. This publication covers all the steps required to follow best practices in labeling bonds as green. It includes examples, links to further details, and key resources for green bond issuers and their deal teams.

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