SRI LANKA DEVELOPMENT UPDATE Creating opportunities and managing risks for sustained growth November 2017 Standard Disclaimer: This volume is a product of the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/ The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries Copyright Statement: The material in this publication is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmitting portions or all of this work without permission may be a violation of applicable law. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/ The World Bank encourages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission to reproduce portions of the work promptly. For permission to photocopy or reprint any part of this work, please send a request with complete information to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA, telephone 978-750-8400, fax 978-750-4470, http://www.copyright.com/. All other queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to the Office of the Publisher, The World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA, fax 202-522-2422, e-mail pubrights@worldbank.org. Photo Credits: Cover and Recent Developments: Joseph C. Qian; Executive Summary: Piyumali Premaratne (Participant of the World Bank Sri Lanka #storiesfromlka Photo Contest); Outlook, Risks and Policy Options: Ralph van Doorn; Special Focus: Creating opportunities and managing risks for sustained growth: Lahiru Wickramarathna (Participant of the World Bank Sri Lanka #storiesfromlka Photo Contest); and World Bank Group Assistance: Sadeepa Gunawardana (Participant of the World Bank Sri Lanka #storiesfromlka Photo Contest). SRI LANKA DEVELOPMENT UPDATE November 2017 Preface The Sri Lanka Development Update has two main aims. First, it reports on the key developments over the past six months in Sri Lanka’s economy, and places these in a longer term and global context. Based on these developments, and on policy changes over the period, it updates the outlook for Sri Lanka’s economy and social welfare. Second, the Update provides a more in-depth examination of selected economic and policy issues, and analysis of medium-term development challenges. It is intended for a wide audience, including policymakers, business leaders, financial market participants, and the community of analysts and professionals engaged in Sri Lanka’s evolving economy. This report was prepared by Ralph van Doorn, Kishan Abeygunawardana, Tiloka de Silva (Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management Global Practice), with inputs from David Newhouse (Poverty and Equity), Guillermo Arenas, Sanjay Kathuria, Mariem Malouche (Trade and Competitiveness), Manela Karunadasa (Governance), Suranga Kahandawa, Priyanka Dissanayake, Jennifer Solotaroff (Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience), Rafael Dominguez (IFC) and Juri Oka (Country Management Unit). Sashikala Jeyaraj provided report design and formatting support. The report was prepared based on published data available on or before September 30, 2017. Data sources included World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Ministry of Finance, Department of Census and Statistics, and press reports. For questions, please contact: infosrilanka@worldbank.org. This report can be downloaded at: www.worldbank.org/sldu Previous editions with special focus sections: • June 2017: Unleashing Sri Lanka’s trade potential openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/27519 • October 2016: Structural challenges identified in the Systematic Country Diagnostic: openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/25351 Stay in touch with the World Bank in Sri Lanka and South Asia via www.worldbank.org/en/country/srilanka @WorldBank, @WorldBankSAsia, #SLDU2017 www.facebook.com/worldbanksrilanka instagram.com/worldbank/ www.linkedin.com/company/the-world-bank Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................7 1. Recent Developments.......................................................................................................... 7 2. Outlook, risks and policy priorities .................................................................................... 9 3. Special focus ....................................................................................................................... 10 A. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS .......................................................................................... 12 B. OUTLOOK, RISKS AND POLICY PRIORITIES .......................................................... 24 1. Outlook ............................................................................................................................... 24 2. Risks ................................................................................................................................... 26 3. Challenges and policy priorities ....................................................................................... 27 C. SPECIAL FOCUS: CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND MANAGING RISKS FOR SUSTAINED GROWTH ........................................................................................................ 32 1. Fiscal reforms ..................................................................................................................... 34 2. Trade policy reforms.......................................................................................................... 36 3. Public debt and contingent liabilities .............................................................................. 39 4. Natural disasters and climate change .............................................................................. 42 D. WORLD BANK GROUP ASSISTANCE......................................................................... 44 KEY ECONOMIC INDICATORS ........................................................................................ 46 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Sri Lanka compared to peer countries: Growth and inflation .......................................................... 11 Figure 2: Sri Lanka compared to peer countries: Education and health .......................................................... 11 Figure 3: Contributors to growth (production side) .......................................................................................... 13 Figure 4: Contributors to growth (demand side) ............................................................................................... 13 Figure 5: Inflation Drivers (CCPI: 2013=100) ................................................................................................... 14 Figure 6: Headline versus core inflation (CCPI: 2013=100)............................................................................. 14 Figure 7: Overall Fiscal Balance........................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 8: Public Debt Drivers .............................................................................................................................. 15 Figure 9: Trends in the guarantee mix ................................................................................................................ 16 Figure 10: External Debt Indicators ................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 11: Movements of bond spreads over US Treasury, (Jan 2015 = 100)................................................ 18 Figure 12: Gross Official Reserves ...................................................................................................................... 18 Figure 13: FDI composition ................................................................................................................................ 18 Figure 14: Treasury bond/bills inflows and outflows ....................................................................................... 18 Figure 15: Credit Leverage ................................................................................................................................... 20 Figure 16: Policy tightening and private credit ................................................................................................... 20 Figure 17: FLFP comparison ............................................................................................................................... 21 Figure 18: FLFP by age and gender, 2015 .......................................................................................................... 21 Figure 19: Fiscal balance – overall deficit ........................................................................................................... 25 Figure 20: Public Debt.......................................................................................................................................... 25 N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 5 Figure 21: The risk chain: The nature and extent of outcomes depend on shocks, exposure, internal conditions, and risk management ........................................................................................................................ 33 Figure 22: Cess prevalence and implied average protection in different sectors ............................................ 38 Figure 23: Eurobond and SOE bond maturities ................................................................................................ 41 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Budget and fiscal outcomes for the first four months of 2017 compared to 2016 ......................... 16 Table 2: Balance of Payments in the first half of 2017 ...................................................................................... 19 Table 3: Impact of recent disasters on poverty .................................................................................................. 23 Table 4: Growth prospects for key partners of Sri Lanka ................................................................................ 27 Table 5: Impact of sources of risk to levels of society ...................................................................................... 34 LIST OF BOXES Box 1: Sri Lanka: country context ....................................................................................................................... 11 Box 2: Getting to Work: Unlocking Women’s Potential in Sri Lanka’s Labor Force .................................... 21 Box 3: South Asia economic context .................................................................................................................. 26 Box 4: Sri Lanka’s Vision 2025 document .......................................................................................................... 28 Box 5: The Complexity of Sri Lanka’s Tariff Structure and Reform Possibilities .......................................... 37 Box 6: Active liability management could potentially reduce costs and risks for Sri Lanka’s debt. ............. 41 N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 6 Sri Lanka Development Update Executive Summary Sri Lanka has the opportunity to implement its Vision 2025 agenda to sustain growth, job creation and poverty reduction in the medium term, provided it shifts from a public investment, non-tradable sector-driven growth model to a more private investment, tradeable sector-led model. It can greatly benefit from its location close to the largest fast-growing economies in the world. This new growth model will open new opportunities for development, and will make Sri Lanka more resilient to many risks, but will also expose it to new ones, It is therefore important to manage them well to maximize the opportunities. 1. Recent Developments Macroeconomic Despite significant challenges, Sri Lanka’s economic performance remained broadly performance satisfactory in the first half of 2017. The corrective policy measures taken in the remained broadly monetary and fiscal fronts have led to gradual stabilization. The construction sector’s satisfactory in the rapid recovery supported by a strong rebound in investment was partially able to first half of 2017. mitigate the impact of inclement weather conditions on the real sector. External buffers strengthened thanks to foreign exchange purchases and improved capital flows. Inflation has risen since the second half of 2016 on account of drought and changes to the VAT Act. Reform Authorities pursued the economic reform agenda presented in the government policy implementation was statements, albeit at a slower pace, owing to the difficulties faced in a complex political slower than environment and institutional constraints on policy implementation. Parliament expected. passed a new Inland Revenue Law in September 2017, which marks a key milestone towards sustainable revenue-led fiscal consolidation. Although yet to be in full compliance, the efforts of the government led to restoration of the Generalized N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 7 Sri Lanka Development Update System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) from the European Union in May 2017.1 However, some other vital reforms were lagging; these included, implementing the One-Stop Shop for FDI, reforms to the investment climate 2 and trade, SOE reforms such as for Sri Lankan Airlines, meaningfully progressing on the debt management agenda and passing of the Audit Act. Improvement in Fiscal consolidation continued in the first four months of the year following the public finance reduction of the fiscal deficit to 5.4 percent of GDP in 2016 from 7.6 percent in 2015. continued; however, The VAT changes that came into effect in November 2016 will lead to a structural fiscal risks remain increase in tax revenues although the budget targets for 2017 are likely to be missed high. due to delay in implementation of the new Inland Revenue Act and higher than anticipated interest expenditure. Fiscal risks emanating from relatively high public debt to GDP ratio (79.3 percent, 2016) and treasury guarantees issued mainly for SOEs and state agencies (7.1 percent of GDP, 2016) remained high in the first five months of 2017 as well. Economy suffered Floods and drought took a toll on real and external sectors. Despite important from continued contributions from construction, financial services and trade sectors, growth natural disasters. decelerated to 3.9 percent, year-on-year, in the first half of 2017 due mainly to the contraction of the agriculture sector. On the external front, the benefit of low oil prices was offset by greater imports of food and petroleum3 due to the drought, while the impact on agricultural exports were masked by increased tea prices. Along with the changes in VAT, inclement weather exerted upward pressure on prices. However, relatively low international commodity prices helped maintain the inflation around mid-single digit. Despite drought related fiscal costs, the government has achieved a primary surplus in the first half of 2017. Reserves increased Gross official reserves reached a 32-month high from relatively low levels thanks to on debt-creating proceeds from syndicated loans, fresh Eurobonds and central bank’s purchases in the flows, but organic market although an expanded trade deficit and low FDIs presented a challenging growth is important. landscape for reserve management. Nevertheless, supported by inflows to the government market, the monetary authority continued the purchasing of foreign exchange in the market in a bid to strengthen reserves. The Sri Lankan rupee depreciated by 2 percent, year-to-date, against the US dollar by end-August. IMF, World Bank The key fiscal and monetary policy measures aimed at reinstating stability were and other supported by the IMF program.4 The reforms in the program are mainly focused on development revenue led fiscal consolidation; transition to flexible inflation targeting; and reforms partners supported in SOE oversight and trade and competitiveness. The World Bank and Japan reforms. International Cooperation Agency provided support for reinforcing policy reforms to improve private sector competitiveness, transparency, public sector management, 5 and fiscal sustainability while the Asian Development Bank provided support to strengthen the capital markets. 1 Tariff-free access for most exports 2 A Roadmap was presented, which now requires implementation. 3 As hydropower reservoirs ran dry 4 These included some important steps to increase government revenues and tighten the monetary policy. 5 The 2016 Development Policy Financing (DPF) Program Document is available online at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/loans-credits/2016/08/01/sri-lanka-dpf N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 8 Sri Lanka Development Update 2. Outlook, risks and policy priorities A relatively favorable The government’s ambitious reform agenda aimed at improving competitiveness, outlook is projected governance and public financial management along with the IMF program focused in the backdrop of on revenue-led fiscal consolidation adds to confidence. The central bank has shown policy reforms. that it stands ready to take appropriate action in the direction of stability. These factors have contributed to an improved outlook. Growth is expected to reach 4.6 percent in 2017 and increase marginally over 5.0 percent beyond, driven by private consumption and investment. The impact of past high monetary growth along with the increase of VAT collection will increase inflation in 2017 although low international commodity prices will maintain some downward pressure. The external sector is poised to benefit from the reinstatement of GSP+ preferential access to the European Union and growing tourism, although the drought could adversely impact exports and increase petroleum imports to cover a hydro power shortfall. The deceleration of the previously stable remittances flow will also be a strain on the external sector. Foreign capital inflows to government securities and FDI inflows will help closing the external financing needs with no Eurobond falling due in 2017. Nevertheless, external buffers are projected to improve, with emphasis placed on purchasing foreign exchange, maintaining a more market-determined exchange rate, and the sale or leasing of selected government assets, including Hambantota seaport.6 The fiscal deficit is projected to narrow to 5.1 percent of GDP for 2017 in line with its primary surplus target thanks to the impact of VAT changes in its first full year of implementation, and expenditure control. Further revenue-increasing policy measures along with improved tax administration will help increase revenues and reduce the deficit to 3.5 of GDP by 2020. Sustained primary surpluses would put debt on a decisive downward path, even with growth shocks. The outlook is External risks include slower growth performance in key countries that generate subject to domestic foreign exchange inflows to Sri Lanka in terms of exports, tourism, remittances, FDI, and external risks. and other capital flows. Tighter than expected global financial conditions could increase the cost of debt and could make it difficult to roll over the maturing Eurobonds from 2019. Faster than expected rises in commodity prices could increase pressure on the balance of payments and make domestic fuel and electricity price reforms more difficult. On the fiscal and debt management front, risks include the delay in implementing revenue and liability management measures; and slower than expected improvement in tax administration. The increasing occurrence and impact of natural disasters could have an adverse impact on growth, the fiscal consolidation path, the trade balance and poverty reduction. Finally, the complex political environment could delay implementation of important structural reforms. 6 Forex purchases have been supported by capital inflows to the government securities market. In the past, monetary authority intervened in the market to stabilize the exchange rate at the expense of significantly large volumes of foreign exchange reserves. With the announced plan to move towards flexible inflation targeting, the exchange rate is expected to be given more flexibility, in the future. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 9 Sri Lanka Development Update Tackling challenges Sri Lanka faces a number of challenges to sustain future economic growth, create through reforms is more and better jobs and reduce poverty; and thus, must be addressed through crucial for sustained determined reforms. These challenges can be addressed through four sets of priority and equitable reforms: growth. 1. staying on the fiscal consolidation path and creating fiscal space for health, education, social protection and other public investments 2. improving the economy’s competitiveness and promoting trade and FDI to facilitate a shift in the growth model driven more by private investment and exports; 3. making progress on and completing the already started governance reforms such as Right to Information, the National Audit Law and the Public Finance Law; and 4. reducing vulnerability and risks in the economy: (a) dealing proactively with the Eurobonds maturing from 2019 by increasing the flexibility in the Appropriation Act to manage liabilities actively; (b) improving the debt management function with requisite institutional, legal and strategy frameworks to manage the costs and risks of domestic and external debt portfolios; (c) mitigating the impact on the poor by replacing untargeted effective subsidies to the non-poor by targeted spending; and (d) enhancing the country’s resilience and disaster preparedness to deal with frequent natural disasters more pro-actively These key challenges are inter-linked and require a comprehensive and coordinated approach. Although, domestic political considerations and institutional constraints on policy implementation make it challenging, a strong political will and support of the bureaucracy could help advance the reform agenda. Steps are needed to ensure the support of private sector, civil society and other stakeholders through improved communications on costs and benefits of its Vision 2025 agenda. 3. Special focus Managing risks is The new growth model will open new opportunities for development. It will make important for Sri Lanka more resilient to many risks, but will expose it to new ones, while sustainability. increasingly frequent natural disasters also demand more preparedness. It is important to manage risks well at different levels of society—households, firms, the public sector and the macroeconomy. Therefore, the Special Focus Section of this edition of the Sri Lanka Development Update is devoted to a discussion on integrated risk management using the framework presented in the World Development Report, 2014. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 10 Sri Lanka Development Update Box 1: Sri Lanka: country context Sri Lanka is a Lower Middle-Income country with a GDP per capita of USD 3,835 (2016) and a total population of 21.2 million people. Following 30 years of civil war that ended in 2009, Sri Lanka’s economy grew at an average 6.2 percent during the period of 2010-2016, reflecting a peace dividend and a determined policy thrust towards reconstruction and growth; although there were some signs of a slowdown in the last three years (Figure 1). The economy is transitioning from a predominantly rural-based economy towards a more urbanized economy oriented around manufacturing and services. The country has made significant progress in its socio-economic and human development indicators. Social indicators rank among the highest in South Asia and compare favorably with those in middle-income countries. Economic growth has translated into shared prosperity with the national poverty headcount ratio declining from 15.3 percent in 2006/07 to 4.1 percent in 2016. Extreme poverty is rare and concentrated in some geographical pockets; however, a relatively large share of the population subsists on slightly more than the extreme poverty line. The country has comfortably surpassed most of the MDG targets set for 2015 and was ranked 73rd in the Human Development Index in 2015. The economy’s weak competitiveness is an issue to address. Restrictive trade policie s over the past decade have created a strong anti-export bias, which has been reflected in a dramatic decline in trade. While growth in Sri Lanka has been strong over the past few years, it has been inward-oriented and based on the growth of non-tradable sectors. Sri Lanka also attracts a much lower volume of FDI than peer economies and the shortcomings of the investment climate pose obstacles for new firms. Moreover, significantly high state participation in the economy has implications on competitiveness in a number of sectors and labor market dynamics. Low revenues as a share of GDP has been a structural issue that adversely impacts fiscal position. The major causes are the low number of number of tax payers (less than 7 percent of the labor force and formal establishments pay income tax), reductions in statutory rates without commensurate efforts to expand the tax base, inefficiencies in administration and numerous exemptions. Low revenues combined with largely non-discretionary expenditure in salary bill, transfers, and interest payments has constrained critical development spending and squeezed expenditure on health, education and social protection, which is low compared to peer (Figure 2). Sri Lanka has a 3-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program with the IMF, which is primarily focused on increasing revenues. The program calls for fiscal consolidation, transition to flexible inflation targeting, and reforms in public financial management, state enterprises and trade and competitiveness. The IMF announced that it had reached staff-level agreement with the government on completing the third review of the EFF. The government that came to power in 2015 envisions promoting a globally competitive, export-led economy with an emphasis on inclusion. It has indicated keenness to undertake reforms in the areas of public finance, competitiveness, governance and education sectors. Recently, the government presented Vision 2025, a policy document encompassing key structural reforms to address the above challenges (Box 4). Figure 1: Sri Lanka compared to peer countries: Figure 2: Sri Lanka compared to peer countries: Growth and inflation Education and health (Percent annual change) (Percent of GDP) Source: World Development Indicators N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 11 Sri Lanka Development Update A. Recent Developments Growth performance of first half 2017 was affected by inclement weather Floods and drought Floods in the month of May in the South and the West; as well as continued drought affected growth. in some parts of the country reduced the economic growth of the first half of 2017 to 3.9 percent.7 Adverse weather turned the agriculture sector’s contribution to growth into a negative 0.2 percentage points in the first half, for the second consecutive year, while impacting related industry and service sectors. In contrast, the construction sector’s contribution to growth remained at 1.0 percentage point continuing the strong rebound in 2016. This was mainly due to the resumption of a few large-scale infrastructure projects and increased private construction activities. Although, significant contributions also came from financial services and trade, these were not sufficient to fully compensate for the dampened performance of other industry and service sectors affected by unfavorable weather conditions, leading to a lower growth rate (Figure 3). Capital formation The contribution to growth from consumption remained low at 1.7 percentage points was the key in the first half of 2017 with private consumption being subdued due to drought and contributor to VAT change while government consumption has also slowed down. 8 Meanwhile, growth. activity in construction and related sectors increased the contribution to growth from gross capital formation to 3.8 percentage points. Increased gross capital formation, especially in the construction sector, was reflected in the expenditure on imported investment goods such as machinery, equipment and building material, which led to a 2.6 percentage point negative contribution to growth from imports of goods and services. The contribution from exports in the first half of 2017 remained low with 7 However, this compared well with the natural-disaster-affected 3.7 percent recorded in the corresponding period of 2016. 8 When computed on a first-half contribution to growth basis N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 12 Sri Lanka Development Update merchandise exports declining compared to the corresponding period in 2016. (Figure 4). Figure 3: Contributors to growth (production side) Figure 4: Contributors to growth (demand side) (Percentage points) (Percentage points) Agriculture Construction Imports 14 20 Exports Other industry Services Gross capital formation 12 Net taxes Overall growth Government consumption 15 Private consumption 10 Overall growth 10 8 6 5 4 0 2 -5 0 -2 -10 1H 2011 1H 2012 1H 2013 1H 2014 1H 2015 1H 2016 1H 2017 1H 2011 1H 2012 1H 2013 1H 2014 1H 2015 1H 2016 1H 2017 Source: Department of Census and Statistics and staff calculations Source: Department of Census and Statistics and staff calculations Annual average inflation has been on the rise since September 2016 due to inclement weather, VAT changes and demand pressures. Inflation has risen A combination of factors including food inflation due to adverse weather, past from the second half currency depreciation and increased indirect taxes have contributed to a rise in of 2016. inflation since the second half of 2016. Accordingly, year-on-year inflation measured by the widely-watched Colombo Consumer Price Index (2013=100) reached 7.1 percent in September 2017 from 4.2 percent recorded a year earlier. Annual average inflation followed suit, rising to 5.8 percent from 3.9 during the same period. In addition to food inflation, larger contributions to the rise in prices came from health,9 education, restaurant and hotel segments with the increase in the VAT rate. Reflecting demand pressures in the economy amid continued high monetary growth, core inflation, measured excluding fresh food and energy, moved up to 5.8 percent by September 2017, on an annual average basis (Figure 5 and 6). The new national The recently introduced National Consumer Price Index (NCPI, 2013=100) that price index echoed reflects price movements of all provinces of the country based on the Household the same trends. Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) reported higher year-on-year inflation of 8.6 percent and an annual average inflation rate of 6.8 percent by September 2017. 9 The VAT net was broadened removing exemptions on selected private health-related items while the rate was increased to 15 percent (from 11 percent) in May 2016; the related legal process was completed in November 2016. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 13 Sri Lanka Development Update Figure 5: Inflation Drivers (CCPI: 2013=100) Figure 6: Headline versus core inflation (CCPI: 2013=100) (Percent) (Percent) Alcoholic beverages Others Core-yoy Restaurants & Hotels Communication 8 Education Health Headline - yoy Housing, Water & Energy Food 7 Headline - Annual average 8 Headline 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 -1 0 May-16 May-17 Jan-16 Jan-17 Mar-16 Mar-17 Jul-16 Jul-17 Sep-16 Sep-17 Nov-16 May-16 May-17 Jan-16 Jan-17 Mar-16 Mar-17 Jul-16 Jul-17 Sep-17 Sep-16 Nov-16 Source: Department of Census and Statistics and staff calculations Source: Department of Census and Statistics and staff calculations The new Inland Revenue Act is expected to pave the way for sustainable, revenue-led fiscal consolidation. Parliament passed a The new Inland Revenue Act,10 which builds on international best practice, aims to new Inland Revenue broaden the tax base by removing excessive tax exemptions; rationalize corporate tax Bill in September incentives toward an investment-oriented regime; simplify the tax system; and 2017. strengthen powers of the tax administrator. If well implemented, the new law would serve as the foundation for sustained fiscal consolidation over the medium term and provide resources for essential social services and productivity-improving public investments while making the budget more resilient to natural disasters. Increase in VAT led VAT collection almost doubled in the first four months of 2017 thanks to changes to a primary surplus effected in 2016. With improved collection of VAT and income taxes, the first four in the first four months’ total tax collection increased by 25.6 percent, year-on-year, compared to the months of 2017. corresponding period of 2016.11 Non-interest expenditures rose by 13.7 percent during the same period with improved execution of the public investment budget. The faster growth in revenues compared to non-interest expenditures, helped the government to report a primary surplus for this period. Continued improvement, particularly in the revenue front is expected to lead to a marginal primary surplus for the full year 2017 while a substantial increase in interest expenditure compared to the budget will mask the improvement of the overall fiscal deficit (Table 1). 2017 results follow Increased revenues and low execution of public investment contained the fiscal deficit the fiscal for 2016 at the envisaged level of 5.4 percent of GDP as against a 7.6 percent in 2015 consolidation path of (Table 1, Figure 7). However, the central government debt remained high at 79.3 2016; however, debt percent of GDP in 2016 (Figure 8)12 while the debt profile also indicated significant remains high. exposure to a variety of risks as discussed in the Special Focus section (Figure 10). 10 Submission of the bill to the Parliament satisfied an important structural benchmark in the IMF- supported program as well 11 Yet, the tax revenues remained 4.4 percent below the budgeted volume for the first four months of 2017. 12 Debt stock increased in 2016 due mainly to exchange rate depreciation and the real interest rate effect. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 14 Sri Lanka Development Update These factors suggest that, in the absence of high growth rates seen in earlier years, fiscal consolidation and more efficient debt management are key to improving the debt profile and bringing the debt-to-GDP ratio back to a declining path. 13 Guaranteed and non- Some of the SOE debt, both foreign and domestic, is guaranteed by the Treasury. In guaranteed SOE the recent years, the treasury guaranteed debt rose fast, and remains high at 7.1 debt is a source fiscal percent of GDP at end-2016.14 Moreover, the composition of guarantees has been risk. changing over time, with the significance of guarantees given to commercially oriented state-owned business enterprises with revenue capacity, such as Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), declining from 90 percent in 2006 to 36 percent in 2016 while guarantees given to state establishments, primarily dependent on the state budget for expenditures are on the rise (Figure 9).15 16 Since the latter receive current and capital transfers to service this guaranteed debt, the government is effectively servicing this debt. Besides guarantees, there are other means of fiscal and quasi-fiscal support to SOEs, such as fiscal expenditure to cover operational losses, capital infusions, and lending by the state banks. Based on available data,17 by end 2015, total SOE debt excluding the financial institutions was estimated at over LKR 1.3 trillion or 12 percent of GDP. Figure 7: Overall Fiscal Balance Figure 8: Public Debt Drivers (Percent of GDP) (Percent of GDP) (Percentage points of GDP) (Percent of GDP) 15 85 Overall balance (RHS) Total revenue and grants Total expenditure 25 - 10 80 (7.6) (5.4) (5.6) (1.0) (5.4) (5.7) 5 75 20 (2.0) 0 70 15 (3.0) (4.0) -5 65 10 (5.0) -10 60 (6.0) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 5 Real interest effect Growth effect (7.0) Primary deficit effect Exchange rate effect Residual Change in debt 0 (8.0) Public debt (RHS) 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016E Source: Ministry of Finance, staff calculations Source: Ministry of Finance, staff calculations 13 Sri Lanka’s long-term foreign currency credit rating is B+ for Fitch and S&P, and B1 for Moody’s. 14 Issued treasury guarantees increased as a share of GDP from 5.6 percent in 2015 to 7.1 in 2016 while the used guarantees also moved up from 3.7 to 4.4 percent of GDP during the same period. 15 Among others, these include Road Development Authority, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and Urban Development Authority. These agencies have no significant sources of revenue and the debt repayment will likely come from the Treasury in the future. 16 It is important to formulate a Guarantee Policy to manage risks emanating from the guarantees. Currently, there is no written policy on guarantees. 17 Ministry of Finance and Central Bank of Sri Lanka annual reports, SOE annual reports. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 15 Sri Lanka Development Update Figure 9: Trends in the guarantee mix Figure 10: External Debt Indicators (LKR billion) (Percent of GDP) (Years) (Percent) 10 180 900 CPC CEB 8 RDA Others 9 160 800 Share of GDP 7 8 140 700 7 6 120 6 600 100 5 5 500 80 4 4 400 60 3 3 40 300 2 2 1 20 200 0 0 100 1 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Share of foreign currency commercial debt/official 0 0 reserves (RHS) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Average time to maturity Note: CEB – Ceylon Electricity Board, CPC – Ceylon Petroleum Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka Corporation, RDA - Road Development Authority. RDA and other entities may not have stable revenue streams. Source: Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Airlines, staff calculations Table 1: Budget and fiscal outcomes for the first four months of 2017 compared to 2016 (LKR millions) Actual Actual 2016 January-April 2017 January-April Revenue 472,689 589,019 Tax revenue, of which 441,211 554,294 Income tax 64,857 84,475 VAT 79,793 152,371 Excise taxes 148,458 155,697 Non-tax revenue 31,478 34,725 Expenditure 706,133 822,840 Recurrent 559,697 626,049 Salaries 188,604 197,518 Interest payments 196,676 243,499 Other 174,417 185,032 Public investments 151,978 201,012 Primary balance -36,768 9,678 Overall balance -233,444 -233,171 Net financing 233,444 233,171 Foreign financing -17,058 14,342 Domestic financing 250,502 218,829 Source: Ministry of Finance, staff calculations N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 16 Sri Lanka Development Update Mixed external sector performance, but recent purchases led to improvement of external buffers. Trade performance The trade deficit expanded by 13.4 percent to USD 4.8 billion in the first half of 2017 weakened in the first compared to the corresponding period of 2016. The benefit of low oil prices was half of 2017. offset by greater imports of food and petroleum due to the drought, while the impact on agricultural exports was masked by increased tea prices. Although growth in tourism flows18 continued to ease external pressures, weakening worker remittances and an elevated trade deficit led to more than doubling of the current account deficit in the first half of 2017 from a year earlier. 19 Debt-creating flows The external current account deficit was mainly financed by debt creating flows. dominated the Although FDI substantially increased from a low base, loan receipts and portfolio financial account. receipts continued to be the main sources of financing the deficit in the first half of 2017. While the government securities market started attracting inflows after a period of outflows, issuance of sovereign bonds worth of USD 1.5 billion, 20 receipts of USD 1.1 billion in project loans and syndicated loans of USD 450 million 21 were the key inflows to the financial account. The Sri Lankan rupee depreciated by only 2 percent, year-to-date, against the US dollar by end-August, much less than other emerging market currencies thanks to these significantly large inflows (Table 2, Figure 13)). After bottoming out Gross official reserves increased to USD 7.7 billion or approximately 4.5 months of in April 2017, merchandise imports by end-August 2017 (up from USD 6.0 billion recorded in reserves recovered. December 2016), the highest level recorded in 32 months. The central bank continued to strengthen reserves through purchases in the forex market from the month of March22 while proceeds from debt issuances helped to increase reserves. However, foreign exchange obligations for the 12 months starting from August 2017 are estimated at USD 6.9 billion, implying that official reserves net of short-term liabilities are low. About USD 1.9 billion or 1/4 of these liabilities represent swap arrangements with domestic banks (which issued medium-term international bonds), some of which will be maturing in 2018. The central bank has already indicated that it plans to settle some of the swaps, which were rolled over in the past. 23 Moreover, the government expects that the foreign inflows related to the setting up of the Hambantota port lease would further shore up reserves in the coming months (Figure 11, 12 and 14). 18 Growth in tourism receipts decelerated to 4.8 percent, year-on-year, in the first half of 2017 compared to double-digit growth rates experienced in the past few years, reportedly due to the limited access provided by the country’s main airport through to April on account of renovation activities and a Dengue breakout that kept tourists away. 19 During the period, remittances shrank on a year-on-year basis for the first time in more than eight years, indicating the potential impact of continued low oil prices in the Middle East. This region generates over 50 percent of Sri Lanka’s remittances. 20 Sri Lanka issued its eleventh sovereign bond worth USD 1.5 billion (10-year) in May 2017. The coupon rate of 6.20 percent reflected a spread of 380 bps over the US Treasury rate for a 10-year security, which compares well with a 540-bps spread recorded in the previous issuance in July 2016. The issuance rated ‘B1’, ‘B+’ and ‘B+' by Moody's Investors Service, Standard and Poor’s and Fitch attracted bids over USD 11 billion achieving an oversubscription ratio of over 7 times (compared to an oversubscription ratio of 3 times in the previous issuance), spread across 500 participating accounts. 21 A further USD 550 million was raised in the month of August 2017. 22 These purchases were supported by capital inflows to the government securities market. 23 Some of the underlying Eurobonds are expected to mature in the coming year: e.g. National Savings Bank USD 750 million, Bank of Ceylon USD 500 million, DFCC Bank USD 100 million. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 17 Sri Lanka Development Update Figure 11: Movements of bond spreads over US Figure 12: Gross Official Reserves Treasury, (Jan 2015 = 100) (Basis points) (USD Million) (Months) 250 Gabon Pakistan Sri Lanka Gross official reserves 9,000 5.3 Vietnam Nigeria Georgia 8,000 Reserves to months of merchandise imports 200 (RHS) 4.8 7,000 6,000 150 4.3 5,000 4,000 100 3.8 3,000 2,000 3.3 50 1,000 0 2.8 0 Feb-17 Feb-15 Feb-16 Aug-16 Dec-16 Aug-17 Dec-14 Aug-15 Dec-15 Apr-16 Apr-17 Apr-15 Oct-16 Oct-15 Jun-16 Jun-17 Jun-15 May-15 May-16 May-17 Jan-15 Jan-16 Jan-17 Mar-15 Mar-16 Mar-17 Jul-15 Jul-16 Jul-17 Sep-15 Sep-16 Sep-17 Nov-15 Nov-16 Note: comparison with countries with close ratings Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, staff calculations Source: EMBIG, staff calculations Figure 13: FDI composition Figure 14: Treasury bond/bills inflows and outflows (USD million) (Percent of GDP) (USD Million) Manufacturing Agriculture Services Infrastructure 400 CB forex Purchases (+) / Sales (-) 1,600 Port city (estimated) FDI (share of GDP) 2.5 300 Change in Treasury bills in USD 1,400 200 2.0 1,200 100 1,000 - 1.5 (100) 800 (200) 600 1.0 (300) 400 (400) 0.5 200 (500) 0 0.0 (600) May-15 May-16 May-17 Jan-15 Jan-16 Jan-17 Mar-15 Mar-16 Mar-17 Jul-15 Jul-16 Jul-17 Nov-15 Nov-16 Sep-15 Sep-16 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, staff calculations Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, staff calculations Monetary policy was tightened to curb rapid credit growth and rising core inflation. Amid high monetary The tightening policy cycle, which commenced in 2016 amid high growth in monetary growth, the central aggregates continued in the first half of 2017 as well. As a precautionary measure bank further against the buildup of inflationary expectations, the central bank increased policy rates tightened policy in by 25 basis points in the month of March. Nevertheless, the growth of monetary 2017. aggregates remained high although some early signs of deceleration have been observed since April 2017.24 The central bank has indicated that it stands ready to further tighten the monetary policy if inflationary pressures build up on excess demand. In order to use inflation as the clear nominal anchor, 25 the central bank has already commenced ground work to move into a flexible inflation targeting regime. 24 The growth of credit to the private sector from banks decelerated to 18.0 percent in July, on a year- on-year basis, from 21.9 percent reported in December 2016. 25 The Roadmap 2017 defines a target of 4 to 6 percent of the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI, http://www.cbsl.gov.lk/pics_n_docs/02_prs/_docs/press/press_20170103e9.pdf) N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 18 Sri Lanka Development Update Implementation of such a framework would essentially require honoring the central bank’s commitment to provide more flexibility for the exchange rate, which in return would help the country to improve its competitiveness and act as a first line of defense for external volatilities (Figure 16). Table 2: Balance of Payments in the first half of 2017 (USD millions) Jan-June 2016 Jan-June 2017 Current account balance (644) (1,480) Goods trade balance (4,191) (4,753) Exports 5,130 5,398 o/w Textiles 2,515 2,384 Imports 9,321 10,151 o/w Petroleum 1,178 1,625 Services trade balance 1,314 1,407 Receipts 3,493 3,646 o/w Tourism 1,654 1,734 Payments 2,179 2,239 Primary income (net) (971) (1,038) Secondary income (net) 3,204 2,904 o/w Remittances 3,613 3,355 Key capital flows FDI 55 472 Portfolio Investment (622) 1,036 General Government (578) 1,335 Other Investment (198) 1,058 Loans 740 1,314 General Government 98 516 Gross official reserves 5,292 6,954 Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka and staff calculations Banking sector remained broadly stable while listed equity returns showed a gradual recovery. The banking sector The banking sector remained well capitalized and adequately liquid. The regulatory continued to remain Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) requirement under Basel II was maintained well above stable. the required level of 10 percent and the Statutory Liquid Asset Ratio was also maintained well above the minimum statutory requirement of 20 percent during the first half of 2017. The expansion of the loan book was supported by the growth in deposits in a high interest environment. Faster growth in lending rates compared to deposit rates led to increased net interest income resulting in improved Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) for the banking sector. The Non- Performing Loan (NPL) ratio remained low thanks to fast credit growth and aggressive credit recovery. However, the NPL ratio might come under upward pressure in the coming months when the pace of credit growth decelerates following the last two years of rapid credit growth, a trend observed in the past. Moreover, increasing leverage, shown by the strong increase in credit relative to the size of the sector, such as in construction, tourism and financial business, warrants attention N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 19 Sri Lanka Development Update (Figure 15). Although the sector remains well-capitalized, implementation of Basel III will require the banks to strive hard to increase the capital base. Listed equity Following negative returns in two consecutive years, listed equity returns showed early indicators improved signs of a recovery. The benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI) moved up by 3.4 buoyed by foreign percent by September on a year-to-date basis. Foreign purchases increased 45-fold in activity. the first nine months of 2017 from a low base in 2016, to report the second largest volume of foreign inflows to the Colombo Stock Exchange in history. While attractive valuations (reflected in low Price-Earnings ratios) in a relatively stable macroeconomic environment was a key driver, the MSCI’s upgrading of Pakistan to the Emerging Market category also led to capital inflows to some frontier markets such as Sri Lanka when investors rebalanced exposures. Figure 15: Credit Leverage Figure 16: Policy tightening and private credit (Sector Credit as a share of Sector Value Addition - Percent) (Y-o-Y Growth Percent) (Y-o-Y Growth Percent) Agriculture Construction Standing Deposit Facility 90 Textiles & Apparel Other industry 12 Standing Lending Facility 40 Wholesale& retail Tourism Growth in banking credit to Pvt sector (RHS) 80 Financial business 35 11 70 30 10 25 60 9 20 50 15 40 8 10 30 5 7 20 0 6 10 -5 0 5 May-12 -10 Jun-09 Jan-10 Jun-16 Jan-17 Mar-11 Feb-14 Jul-13 Oct-11 Apr-15 Dec-12 Nov-15 Aug-10 Sep-14 Aug-17 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, staff calculations Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, staff calculations Despite the fast poverty reduction, there remain areas with significant poverty; a large share of the population subsists on little more than the extreme poverty line. Extreme poverty is Despite the recent macroeconomic challenges, extreme poverty remains low, as the low in Sri Lanka and $1.90 (PPP 2011) poverty rate fell half a percentage point, from 2.4 to 1.9 percent fell further between between 2009/10 and 2012/13. The real per capita consumption of the bottom 40 2012/13 and 2016. percent increased 2.2 percent annually between 2006/07 and 2012/13, and improved living standards were reflected in rising asset ownership, declining shares of food consumption, and a rise in reported household per capita income among the poor. Preliminary results from the Department of Census and Statistics’ Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) conducted in 2016 show a further decline in the national poverty rate, which is equivalent to about $2.50 in 2011 Purchasing Power Parity terms, from 6.7 percent in 2012/13 to 4.1 percent in 2016. During the past year, Employment in agriculture continues to fall, boosting productivity and contributing labor market trends to continued declines in poverty. Between 2013 and 2016, the share of employment have been mixed. in agriculture fell from 30.2 to 27.1 percent. Unemployment remained constant during that period, at a manageable 4.4 percent. Furthermore, perhaps due to the shift out of agriculture, the share of workers working for 40 hours or more increased from 65.5 to 67.9 percent of the workforce. Female labor force participation remains low and lags behind male rates by nearly 40 percentage points. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 20 Sri Lanka Development Update Box 2: Getting to Work: Unlocking Women’s Potential in Sri Lanka’s Labor Force Sri Lanka has shown remarkable persistence in low female labor force participation (FLFP) rates over the past three decades. Even as the economy expanded, FLFP declined from 41 percent in 2010 to 36 percent in 2016. This trend stands in contrast to the cou ntry’s achievements in human development outcomes that favor women, such as high levels of female education and low total fertility rates, as well as its status as a middle-income country. A forthcoming World Bank report, Getting to Work: Unlocking Women ’s Potential in Sri Lanka’s Labor Force, finds that women’s experience in Sri Lanka’s labor market remains characterized by: (1) low LFP; (2) high unemployment, especially for women under age 30; and (3) persistent wage disparities between the sexes, though these are shrinking over time. The report’s analysis supports three hypotheses to explain gender gaps in labor market outcomes. Household roles and responsibilities, which fall disproportionately on women: Marriage continues to penalize women’s participation in labor markets, though less so than before 2010. As of 2015, marriage lowers odds of FLFP by 4.4 percentage points, while boosting men’s odds by 11 percentage points. Having young children is associated with even lower odds of FLFP, lower chances of becoming a paid employee, and lower earnings compared to these odds before 2010—and compared to men’s odds. Social norms against women’s mobility outside the home, especially for commuting, exacerbate the gender gap in LFP. Figure 17: FLFP comparison Figure 18: FLFP by age and gender, 2015 (Percent) (Percent) 100 100 Male Female 80 90 60 80 70 40 60 20 50 40 0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 30 20 Afghanistan India 10 Malaysia Middle income Nepal Pakistan 0 15 19 31 43 47 59 71 75 87 23 27 35 39 51 55 63 67 79 83 South Asia Sri Lanka Age Sub-Saharan Africa Upper middle income Note: Population age 15+. Data from the Northern Region was not Note: Some ILO data may predate the 2016 LFS data. included. The 2009 weight factor was adjusted by the staff Source: World Bank datacenter, modeled ILO estimates projection of total population from Census 2012. Source: LFS 2009, 2015 and staff calculations A human capital mismatch, whereby women are not acquiring the proper skills demanded by job markets: Since the end of civil conflict, women at all levels of educational attainment are even more challenged than men in securing high-skill and higher-paying jobs. Qualitative research reveals women’s preference for humanities and arts in their educational training, rather than in technical skills that better match with private sector jobs in growth industries. These educational and occupational choices are also strongly influenced by what girls and their parents consider to be gender appropriate—e.g., women with the highest educational attainments (university level or higher) still queue for a limited number of public sector jobs—which, unlike the private sector, uniformly offer regular working hours, maternity leave, and other women-friendly benefits—and thus contribute to elevated rates of female youth unemployment. Multivariate analysis confirms that in spite of women’s advancements (even exceeding those of men, as with years of education), endowments are not sufficient to close gender gaps in LFP and wages. Gender discrimination in job search, hiring and promotion processes: Discrimination appears to determine large shares of gender gaps in LFP and earnings, though to a diminishing degree over time, especially since 2009. Primary research confirms that employers actively discriminate by gender to a much smaller degree than employees suspect. Yet, stubborn occupational segregation across industries suggests that this may not be the case for promotions —especially into high-skill and management jobs, in which men continue to dominate. Raw gender wage gaps are shrinking, but the portion of these gaps that is determined by gender discrimination —rather than endowments—is increasing over time and is especially pronounced in the public sector. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 21 Sri Lanka Development Update The report recommends four priority areas for addressing the multiple supply- and demand-side factors to promote women’s entry into and continued employment in the labor market. This is essential for preparing for an aging population and to achieving the country’s growth and eq uity goals. • Reduce barriers to women’s participation in paid work, particularly (a) lack of child care services, and (b) socio - physical constraints on women’s mobility, which undermines their ability to travel to work. • Strengthen girls’ early orientation to career development and to acquiring the types of education and skills (e.g., STEM courses) that prepare them for labor markets. • Improve the job orientation of education providers; and expand provision of job matching services and TVET that respond to employers’ needs. • Ensure gender equity in labor legislation and non-discriminatory workplace environments, which includes zero tolerance for sexual harassment in—and traveling to—the workplace and provision of safe transportation for women; undertake affirmative action and ethical branding initiatives to expand women’s share of employment and firm ownership in emerging sectors. Source: Getting to Work: Unlocking Women’s Potential in Sri Lanka’s Labor Force, World Bank Wa shington D.C (forthcoming). A large share of the Moderate poverty remains high. While numbers for 2016 are not yet available, in population subsists 2012/13, nearly 15 percent of the population, and a quarter of the Estate sector, lived on little more than on less than $3.10 per day. Furthermore, pockets of poverty persist in the North, the extreme poverty East, Estate Sector and Moneragala district where equality of opportunities in terms line. of access to services and linkages to the labor market are weaker. In 2016, poverty rates according to the national line were highest in the Northeast Districts of Kilinochchi (18.2 percent), Mullaitivu (12.7 percent), Batticaloa (11.3 percent), and Trincomalee (10 percent), as compared with 4.1 percent for all of Sri Lanka. Spending on social assistance declined in real terms between 2004 and 2014, and suffers from inefficient targeting. An increase in social assistance spending since 2014 may have helped stabilize inequality, which remained flat between 2012/13 and 2016. However, other challenges remain, including high rates of malnutrition, low rates of female labor force participation (Box 2), and a rapidly aging population. 26 Recent frequent Floods and landslides in late May 2017 affected 15 of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka. In natural disasters led two days (25-26 May) the precipitation rose to 600mm, provoking flash floods and to significant landslides, and resulted in 213 deaths, 88,000 partially or fully damaged houses, over economic, fiscal and 100,000 displaced people, and economic damages and losses of about LKR 70 billion. social impact. The most affected sectors in terms of costs are housing, agriculture, transport and industry & commerce. The total recovery needs are estimated at LKR 116 billion. The sectors that require major amounts of financial resources are housing, transport, water and sanitation and agriculture.27 The ongoing drought in 2016 and 2017 has affected 1,927,069 people across 17 districts, according to the Disaster Management Centre. During this Maha season 612,224 hectares of paddy were cultivated of which 50,615 hectares were damaged due to the drought. The Department of Agriculture estimates that, due to the floods in May and ongoing drought impacting the primary and secondary harvests of 2017, rice production for 2017 is expected to be the lowest paddy production in the last 10 years. The production forecast for 2017 will be sufficient for just over 7 months of 26 “Sri Lanka - Poverty and welfare : Recent progress and remaining challenges”, World Bank, January 2016, http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/02/25918944/sri-lanka-poverty-welfare- recent-progress-remaining-challenges 27 Rapid – Post Disaster Needs Assessment Floods and Landslides May 2017 N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 22 Sri Lanka Development Update household consumption which may lead to widespread food insecurity.28,29 The drought also led to decreased exports of agricultural exports, mainly tea, and increased imports of petroleum, as hydropower reservoirs ran dry. As shown in Figure 3 and 5, the disasters have led to a contraction in the agricultural sector and exports of agricultural products and increase in food inflation, and triggered an increase in imports of oil and other relief. In addition, it has diverted fiscal spending in the form of relief. In the four months of 2017 the government has reportedly incurred LKR 1,397 million for the provision of disaster relief: LKR 163 million for supply of drinking water, LKR 500 million for the payment of the premium of the National Disaster Insurance Scheme benefitting the National Insurance Trust Fund (NITF) and LKR 734 million for the payment of compensation and housing construction for those affected by the 2016 landslides. 30 The disasters also The 2017 floods and landslides disasters and the 2016/17 drought also stand out in significant affected terms of their effect on the poor. In each case, approximately 12 percent of those areas with vulnerable affected were poor, nearly twice the national average of 6.7 percent. In the case of the populations. landslides, this is because the 11 affected Divisional Secretary (DS) Divisions tend to be poorer than the national average. Those affected by the floods overall were also disproportionately poor, with an estimated poverty rate of 8.7 percent (Table 3). This demonstrates the importance social protection measures to mitigate the impacts of drought floods, particularly landslides, on the poor. Table 3: Impact of recent disasters on poverty Notes: Estimated poverty rate of affected persons is the weighted average of the DS Division poverty estimates, with the weights equal to the share of persons affected by the disaster in each DS Division. The estimated poverty rates of the affected DS Division are the weighted average of the DS Division estimates, with the weights equal to the share of the population residing in each DS Division. Source: Staff calculations based on disaster reports from Disaster Management Centre and 2011 DS Division poverty estimates produced by World Bank and Department of Census and Statistics. Summary of key macroeconomic developments • Construction sector rebound partially compensated the impact of weather on growth performance • Inflationary pressures remained high due to drought, VAT changes and demand pressures • External trade balance weakened due to increased petroleum and food imports • Official reserves improved markedly with forex purchases and external borrowings • Primary surplus expected thanks to VAT changes; however, high interest costs to mask the improvement of fiscal deficit • Public debt remains high; the debt portfolio indicates some significant risks • Preliminary data shows poverty has fallen further between 2012/13 and 2016 28 Joint Assessment of Drought Impact on Food Security and Livelihoods. 15 March 2017 29 Office of the UN Resident Coordinator Drought Update No. 2, Sri Lanka | 19 September 2017 30 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report, 2017, Ministry of Finance, June 30, 2017. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 23 Sri Lanka Development Update B. Outlook, Risks and Policy Priorities 1. Outlook31 A relatively favorable The government is progressing on an ambitious reform agenda, albeit at a slower pace outlook is projected than expected, aimed at improving competitiveness, governance and public financial in the backdrop of management that would bring in long-term benefits. Continuation of reforms along policy reforms. with the IMF program will add to confidence while helping to reform the tax system to pursue revenue-led fiscal consolidation. The central bank stands ready to take appropriate action in the direction of stability. This is supported by a strengthening global growth outlook, including in some countries important to Sri Lanka (Box 3). These factors have contributed to an improved outlook. Growth is expected Growth is expected to reach 4.6 percent in 2017 and increase marginally over 5.0 to pick up with percent beyond, driven by private consumption and investment growth. Although manageable short to medium term growth will continue to be driven by non-tradable sectors, inflation. successful implementation of reforms should help the country to rely on productive tradable sectors in the long run. Inflation will stabilize around mid-single digit level towards the end of 2017 thanks to the base-effect and relatively low international commodity prices. In the medium term, the announced shift by the central bank to flexible inflation targeting will keep inflation in the single digits, while the exchange rate is left to adjust to market forces. Fiscal consolidation Supported by a small primary balance, the overall fiscal deficit is expected to fall to will put the debt 5.1 percent of GDP for 2017 thanks mainly to the implementation of revenue measures. In 2017, the VAT reforms, in its first year of implementation, will drive 31 Table 1 on last page N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 24 Sri Lanka Development Update back on a declining fiscal consolidation. In outer years, implementation of the new Inland Revenue Act, path. further reforms to the VAT law and improvements in tax administration are expected to expand revenues. On the expenditure side, staff projects that the increased fiscal space will primarily benefit public investment, assuming no major additional recurrent expenditure commitments. Under this baseline, the fiscal deficit is expected to narrow to 3.5 of GDP by 2020. Public debt levels are Continued fiscal consolidation is projected to bring the public debt burden to a projected to fall, downward path again in 2017 with a marginal decline in public debt-to-GDP ratio, provided fiscal ending a 5-year consecutive rise. Fiscal discipline is even more important in an consolidation environment of high domestic interest rates, an expected gradual tightening of global remains on track. financial conditions and an expected gradual depreciation of the exchange rate, as the central bank moves to inflation targeting. Under the baseline scenario, this would bring the debt-to-GDP ratio to 73 percent of GDP by 2020. However, this is subject to shocks. A shock to the growth rate or exchange rate would widen the fiscal deficit (Figure 19) and would mainly affect the path of public debt (Figure 20).32 In addition, there is a risk that guarantees and other contingent liabilities will be called. Figure 19: Fiscal balance – overall deficit Figure 20: Public Debt (Percent of GDP) (Percent of GDP) Baseline Growth shock Baseline Growth shock Exchange rate shock 80.0 Exchange rate shock -3.0 79.0 78.0 -3.5 77.0 -4.0 76.0 -4.5 75.0 74.0 -5.0 73.0 -5.5 72.0 71.0 -6.0 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Source: Staff projections Source: Staff projections The external current With healthy growth in the US and Euro Area and a recovery in a few key Middle account deficit will Eastern countries (see Box 3), the external environment for Sri Lanka has improved, remain unchanged which would be favorable for exports and further tourism growth. This may for 2017 and widen compensate the lingering impact of the 2016/2017 drought manifested through a marginally in the decline in exports and increase in petroleum imports. In outer years, while Sri Lanka outer years. will continue to benefit from tourism growth and the benefits of the EU’s GSP+, recovering global commodity prices and external interest payments will lead to a widening deficit. These projections do not yet take into account the impact of intended structural reforms and the expected signing of trade agreements, which could provide an uptick to exports. With emphasis on Inflows to the government and FDI inflows will help close the external financing market forex needs with no Eurobond falling due in 2017. A pick up in FDI is projected with the Shocks considered were: (a) 10 percent currency depreciation for 2018 and; (b) a reduction of real 32 GDP growth rate to 3 percent in 2018. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 25 Sri Lanka Development Update purchases, external boost received from the Hambantota Port lease and the Colombo Port City project buffers are to and other earmarked large investment projects. External buffers are projected to improve in 2017. improve, with emphasis placed on purchasing foreign exchange, maintaining a more market-determined exchange rate, using monetary policy and the sale of selected government assets. Supported by forex disbursements under the IMF EFF, project loans, other multilateral borrowings and sovereign bonds, the official reserve coverage of imports of goods and services is projected to increase above 4.0 months by 2018. In the outer years, unless export and FDI growth accelerates, more external borrowing will be needed when large repayments are due in Eurobonds. Emphasis, therefore, is needed on improving non-debt creating forex flows in the financial account. 2. Risks The outlook is The immediate risk is tighter than expected global financial conditions that would subject to a number increase the cost of debt and make it difficult to roll over the maturing Eurobonds of risks. from 2019. Other external risks include disappointing growth performance in key countries that generate foreign exchange inflows to Sri Lanka in terms of exports, tourism, remittances, FDI, and other financing flows. Faster than expected rises in commodity prices would increase pressure on the balance of payments and make domestic fuel and electricity price reforms more difficult. Domestically, on the fiscal and debt management front, risks include the delay in implementing revenue and liability management measures; and slower than expected improvement in tax administration. The increasing occurrence and impact of natural disasters could have an adverse impact on growth, the fiscal consolidation path, the trade balance and poverty reduction. Finally, the complex political environment could delay implementation of important structural reforms. The Special Focus section contains a discussion on risks and opportunities at various levels of society. Box 3: South Asia economic context Growth and prices: Global growth is firming, contributing to an improvement in confidence. A recovery in industrial activity has coincided with a pick-up in global trade, after two years of marked weakness. In emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), obstacles to growth among commodity exporters are gradually diminishing, while activity among commodity importers remains generally robust. As a result, global growth is expected to reach 2.9 percent in 2017 and 2018, up from a post-crisis low of 2.4 percent in 2016 despite substantial policy uncertainty (Table 3.1). Commodity prices have continued to recover moderately, although prospects for increased U.S. shale oil production are weighing on the outlook for oil prices. Financial markets: Global financing conditions have been benign and benefited from improving growth prospects and expectations of low interest rates despite ongoing U.S. monetary policy normalization. Financial market volatility has been low despite elevated policy uncertainty, reflecting investor risk appetite and, perhaps, some level of market complacency. Renewed risk appetite has supported EMDE financial markets and led to a narrowing of corporate bond spreads globally. Capital inflows to EMDEs were robust in the first half of 2017, partly in a rebound from late-2016 weakness. Over time, however, a gradual tightening of international financing conditions may weigh on capital flows to EMDEs. Risks: Substantial risks cloud this outlook, despite the possibility of fiscal stimulus in some major advanced economies, particularly the United States. Escalating trade restrictions could derail a fragile recovery in trade and undo gains from past liberalization efforts. A further increase in policy uncertainty from already high levels could dampen confidence N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 26 Sri Lanka Development Update and investment and trigger financial market stress, after a period of unusually low financial market volatility. Market reassessment of advanced-economy monetary policy, or disorderly exchange rate developments, could contribute to swings in EMDE asset prices and capital flows, potentially amplified by vulnerabilities in some countries. Over the longer term, persistent weaknesses in productivity and investment growth would erode potential growth. Factors affecting EMDE growth prospects : Even if the expected modest rebound in investment across EMDEs materializes, slowing capital accumulation in recent years may have already reduced potential growth. Moreover, structural headwinds to global trade, worsening demographics, slowing productivity growth, and governance and institutional challenges could adversely affect EMDE growth. South Asia: South Asia is no longer the fastest-growing region in the world, due to gradual deceleration in India after the first quarter in 2016. Nevertheless, the region is expected to grow by 6.7 percent in 2017, reach 6.9 percent in 2018 and stabilize around 7 percent over the medium term. Robust growth prospects rest on the expectation that domestic consumption will remain strong, private sector investment will regain momentum, and exports will recover. Table 4: Growth prospects for key partners of Sri Lanka 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Key financial flows to Sri Lanka Actual Estimates Projections World 2.7 2.4 2.7 2.9 2.9 United States 2.1 1.7 1.9 1.8 1.7 Textiles, Portfolio Flows United Kingdom 2.2 1.8 1.7 1.5 1.5 Textiles, Tourism, FDI Euro Area 2 1.8 1.7 1.5 1.5 Textiles, Tourism, Portfolio Flows China 6.9 6.7 6.5 6.3 6.3 Tourism, FDI, Official Financing India 8.6 7.1 7 7.3 7.4 Tourism, Remittances Saudi Arabia 4.1 1.4 0.6 2 2.1 Remittances Russia -2.8 -0.2 1.3 1.4 1.4 Tea United Arab Emirates 3.8 2.3 2 2.5 3.2 Remittances Japan 1.1 1 1.5 1 0.6 Official Financing Source: World Bank Global Economic Prospects, June 2017; South Asia Focus, October 2017; and Global Economic Prospects Preliminary estimates The Global Economic Prospects report is published in January and June each year. The latest report and regional outlooks can be found at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/global-economic-prospects South Asia Economic Focus is published in April and October each year. The latest report and regional outlooks can be found at: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/11978 Updates are posted to: Twitter: @wb_research and the Prospects blog: http://blogs.worldbank.org/prospects/ 3. Challenges and policy priorities Tackling challenges Sri Lanka faces a number of challenges to sustain future economic growth, create through reforms is more and better jobs and reduce poverty; and thus must be addressed through crucial for sustained determined reforms. These key challenges are inter-linked and require a and equitable comprehensive and coordinated approach. Although domestic political growth. considerations and institutional constraints on policy implementation make it challenging, a strong political will and the support of the bureaucracy could help with advancing the reform agenda. Steps need to be taken to ensure the support of the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders through improved communications on costs and benefits of the reform agenda (see Box 4 Vision 2025). N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 27 Sri Lanka Development Update Box 4: Sri Lanka’s Vision 2025 document The government announced its vision – “Vision 2025” - to make Sri Lanka a rich country by 2025. While recognizing the structural and inter-linked challenges that Sri Lanka is facing, the Vision 2025 aspires to transform Sri Lanka into the hub of the Indian Ocean, with a knowledge-based, highly competitive, social market economy focused on inclusion. It sets intermediate targets for the next three years to lay the foundation to become a rich country by 2025. These include raising per capita income to USD 5,000 per year, creating one million new jobs, increasing FDI to USD 5 billion per year, and doubling exports to USD 20 billion per year. Key challenges The document recognizes the important constraints to growth. • It suggests that growth in recent years has primarily been through inward-oriented economic activities driven by government infrastructure spending based on heavy commercial borrowing. Persistent fiscal deficits and external current account deficits have resulted in poor investor confidence and low levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) and private domestic investment. Much of private investment, both local and foreign, has gone into real estate and related sectors as well as uncompetitive import substitutes. • The documents attributes strong anti-export bias in the economy to the often-uncompetitive exchange rates alongside high effective protection rates. It argues that the country’s exports a re still concentrated on a few, mainly low technology products and that investment policies have failed to attract transformational, knowledge-based investments. • The Vision 2025 contends that public finances have been a constraint on growth. A steady decline in government revenue generation has resulted in debt accumulation, particularly concentrated on non-concessional foreign borrowing. It suggests that high levels of public debt hamper growth through increased uncertainty, over-taxation, predominance of indirect over direct taxation, diverting resources from social and infrastructure development, crowding out of private investment and weakening resilience to shocks. • It recognizes the fragile financial standing and the poor quality of public service delivery of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as additional constraints to productivity and growth. • According to the document, growth is also hampered by regulatory barriers constraining both foreign and local private investment. Critical constraints are the dearth of land for commercial and other productive purposes; the skill profile of the current workforce not being aligned with the needs of a globally-integrated economy; archaic labor laws and inefficiencies in the labor market that hinder female labor force participation; rigid border taxation laws which hamper trade facilitation, inadequate infrastructure in terms of access, quality and pricing of energy, transport and telecommunication; and access to finance, especially for SME sector. Reforms In order to achieve set targets, the Vision 2025 outlines the key following areas for reform. Strengthening growth Economic and social Land, labor and capital markets framework infrastructure • Private sector development • Dynamic land market • Access and quality of • Investment facilitation • Land policy, scientific land education • Doing Business management • Vocational training • PPPs • Inrease female labor force • Youth empowerment • Trade policy and related participation • Skill development reforms: Para-tariffs, FTAs • Labor productivity • Non-communicable Disease • SMEs • Migrations Management • Logistics • Address informaility • Improved health facilities • Tourism • Colombo International • Excise taxation policy Finance Centre • Economic corridors • Capital market reforms • Water, housing and trasnport N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 28 Sri Lanka Development Update Agriculture and sustainable Macroeconomic framework Legislations development • Efficieincy in agricultural • Revenue-led fiscal • Inland Revenue markets consolidation • Foreign Exchange • Agriculture/plantation • Direct-indirect tax mix • State Land Bank modernisation • Efficient incentives • Anti Dumping • Smallholders in exports • Financial planning and • State Commercial Enterprises • Livestock and fisheries commitment control • Ports and Airports • A new development bank • Liability management • Ruhunu Economic • Finanical inlusion • Expenditure management Development Corporation • Disaster management and Public Investment • Lands (Special Provisions) • Green initiatives Program • Sustainable Development • Waste management • Price stability and flexible • Liability managment inflation targeting • Power generation, clean • National Debt Office energy, pricing formula • Market-determined exchange rate • SOE restructuring Governance and accountability Social safety nets Technology and digitization • Policies of good governance • Contributory pension for all • Private investments in •Reconcilliation • Targeting for Samurdhi technology • Right to Information • Access for differently-abled • ICT initiatives • People's participation in citizens • Intellectual property development •Efficient, integrated social • Mobile payments and protection electronic transactions The document is available at https://news.lk/images/pdf/2017/sep/Vision_2025_English_final.pdf. 1. Stay on the fiscal consolidation path Staying on the fiscal Raising more revenue while controlling current expenditure is needed to reduce the consolidation path is fiscal deficit and bring public debt to a sustainable path. Following the success in a key priority. 2016, emphasis is needed on raising tax revenues structurally without relying too much on non-tax revenues driven by SOEs. Continued fiscal consolidation will help the country prepare for additional public spending on expanding pension coverage and old-age health and long-term care in the medium to long term as Sri Lanka’s demographic transition advances. Fiscal space is equally important to increase investment in human and physical capital and the provision of other public goods to sustain growth in the medium term. A reduced fiscal deficit will also limit exposure to global financial markets, which are expected to gradually become tighter, and free up credit for the private sector in the domestic market. A reduced fiscal deficit, a reduced debt level and more predictability in the markets will also reduce the burden on the central bank to provide temporary financing, which gives it more operational independence to pursue an appropriate monetary and exchange rate policy for the country. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 29 Sri Lanka Development Update Implementing the The new Inland Revenue Act should be followed up by further reforms to widen the new Inland Revenue tax base, make the current tax system simpler and more stable, and make Act is a good start. administration more efficient. The incentives structure in the new law, which relies on investment allowances is expected to promote investment and job creation instead of offering fiscally expensive tax holidays, exemptions and special rates. Although there is room for improvement through sector targeting, investment allowance based incentives could be helpful for simplification and reduce leakages while preserving competitiveness. Improving the VAT Act and its administration will be a key step in the direction of revenue-led fiscal consolidation, going forward. 2. Change to more private investment, tradable sector-led growth model Sri Lanka’s march While Sri Lanka has grown rapidly in the past, the non-tradable drivers of such growth towards Upper- are unlikely to remain adequate for inclusive and sustainable growth in the coming Middle-Income decade.33 34 Given the context of continued weak external liquidity, foreign exchange status hinges on the generated through tradeable sectors is even more important for Sri Lanka. In order economy’s to benefit from an export-led growth model, which is necessarily based on trade, it is competitiveness and important that Sri Lanka strengthens its competitiveness in order to promote trade its ability to pursue and FDI, leverage its locational advantage of geographical proximity to the global an export-led growth powerhouses, establish the necessary conditions for a thriving knowledge economy, model. integrate productive local companies in global value chains, and attain higher value addition in the manufacturing sector. This reform process will be key for Sri Lanka’s sustained economic prosperity (Figure 18). Policy recommendations to improve trade and business environment and FDI: • Trade policy: (1) adopt trade policy with a gradual but firm liberalization schedule, allowing time for adjustment to avoid a sudden shock to fiscal revenue and the balance of payments; and (2) make progress on bilateral trade agreements while carefully evaluating the costs and benefits to Sri Lanka, with a particular focus on non-tariff barriers and Mutual Recognition Agreements. The Special Focus Section discusses managing risks of carrying out para-tariff reforms with a view to improve trade. • Trade facilitation: (1) adopt a systematic and effective risk management system, the absence of which imposes a huge burden in terms of time and cost, adversely impacting competitiveness; and (2) create a single trade information portal, which will help meet the informational needs of businesses. • Innovation: improve the innovation landscape in Sri Lanka especially for SMEs and start-ups. • FDI attraction: (1) enhance effectiveness of the Board of Investment as a ‘one-stop shop’ for foreign investors; (2) strengthen BOI’s investment 33 Real GDP expanded by 40.5 percent from 2010 to 2016 with the top six sectors contributing to 70.0 percent of the total growth all being non-tradables: construction, transport, other personal services, financial services, wholesale and retail trade, and real estate. Agriculture that employs around 28 percent of the total labor force contributed to only 4.1 percent of growth while all other manufacturing/service sectors collectively accounted for 25.9 percent of growth. 34 In general, shifting resources into tradable sectors, led by manufacturing, is desirable for emerging markets because productivity gains are higher in tradable sectors than in non-tradable sectors. (World Bank (2013), ‘Island of Prosperity? Ideas for Accelerating Inclusive Economic Growth in Sri Lanka’, Washington, DC.) In Sri Lanka, the share of manufacturing output, which was 18.7 percent in 2000, rose to 19.5 percent in 2005, and declined to 16.3 percent by 2016 due to faster growth in the services sector. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 30 Sri Lanka Development Update attraction capabilities by adopting modern tools and techniques in sector targeting, investor outreach, and investor facilitation; (3) strengthen investment retention capacity through ‘after sales services’ for existing investors; and (4) address regulatory barriers to FDI in backbone sectors to promote exports. • Ensure coherence and coordination between investment policy and trade policy with a clear indication of future policy direction. • Conduct awareness campaigns and adopt an effective communication strategy to dispel concerns regarding preferential trade agreements. • Enhance institutional capacity of GoSL to address the shortcomings in the investment climate undermining the competitiveness of the private sector. • Formulate a legal framework and policies to help firms and workers adjust to the impact of trade policy reforms and allow them to seize new opportunities. 3. Improve governance and accountability Governance reforms It is important that the government takes steps to implement the Right to Information will support fiscal Act in full, the passing of which reflected a landmark improvement to transparency sustainability and and governance. The Constitutional Amendment to strengthen the supreme audit overall institution was a key first step; however, this needs to be followed by the Audit Bill, competitiveness. providing for greater administrative and financial independence. The current work on drafting a comprehensive Public Finance Act will provide clarity on roles and responsibilities in the management of public assets and improve budget credibility. A legal framework for SOEs, strengthened audit function as well as improved public financial management and oversight of public enterprises could improve fiscal performance as well as public sector effectiveness, including for public enterprises. 4. Manage risks and create opportunities Managing risks is The new growth model will open new opportunities for development. It will make important for Sri Lanka more resilient to many risks, but will expose it to new ones. Increasingly sustainability. frequent natural disasters also demand more preparedness. It is important to manage risks well at different levels of society—households, firms, the public sector and the macroeconomy. Therefore, the Special Focus Section of this edition of the Sri Lanka Development Update is devoted to a discussion on integrated risk management using the framework presented in the World Development Report, 2014. Summary of outlook • Growth expected to be affected by disaster, but return to 5 percent in medium term • Inflation will increase in 2017 due to one-off impact of VAT and stabilize with continued low commodity prices • Fiscal consolidation will continue towards a deficit of 3.5 percent of GDP in the medium-term, despite 2017 government budget deficit target of 4.6 percent of GDP is likely to be missed. • Debt is likely to stabilize and start to fall, but sensitive to growth, fiscal and exchange rate shocks • External sector will benefit from tourism and GSP+ from the second half of 2017; however, expenditure on food and petroleum could mask the improvement • Reserves will improve, with forex purchases, a more market-determined exchange rate, monetary policy and divestment/lease out of some government assets N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 31 Sri Lanka Development Update C. Special Focus: Creating opportunities and managing risks for sustained growth To sustain growth, To implement its Vision 2025 agenda (Box 4) to sustain growth, job creation and job creation and poverty reduction, Sri Lanka needs to change its growth model. This new growth poverty reduction, model will open up more opportunities for development for different levels of Sri Lanka needs to society—households, firms, the public sector and the macroeconomy. It will make change its growth them more resilient to certain risks, but will also expose it to new ones. It is therefore model, and manage important to manage them well to maximize the opportunities. risks. Risk management The 2014 World Development Report35 argues that risk management can be a can be a powerful powerful instrument for development—not only by building people’s resilience and instrument for thus reducing the effects of adverse events but also by allowing them to take development, by advantage of opportunities for improvement. reducing the impact of adverse events and It offers five key insights on the process of risk management: presenting new 1. Taking on risks is necessary to pursue opportunities for development. The risk of opportunities inaction may well be the worst option of all. 2. To confront risk successfully, it is essential to shift from unplanned and ad-hoc responses when crises occur to proactive, systematic, and integrated risk management. 3. Identifying risks is not enough: the trade-offs and obstacles to risk management must also be identified, prioritized, and addressed through private and public action. 35World Development Report: Risk and Opportunity, Managing Risk for Development , World Bank Group, 2014, http://www.worldbank.org/wdr2014. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 32 Sri Lanka Development Update 4. For risks beyond the means of individuals to handle alone, risk management requires shared action and responsibility at different levels of society, from the household to the international community. 5. Governments have a critical role in managing systemic risks, providing an enabling environment for shared action and responsibility, and channeling direct support to vulnerable people. The WDR analyzes how various levels of society can manage risks, cope with the impact of shocks and create new opportunities. Figure 21: The risk chain: The nature and extent of outcomes depend on shocks, exposure, internal conditions, and risk management Note: The feedback arrows in the risk chain diagram represent the potential for the outcomes of past shocks to affect exposure and internal conditions, as well as the propensity for future shocks. Similarly, the effectiveness of people’s ris k management can significantly affect the nature of and propensity for future shocks. Source: WDR 2014 team Integrated risk This section will apply the WDR 2014 framework to Sri Lanka and address the management is question of how households, firms, public policy and international community can critically important benefit from opportunities if risks are managed well for Sri Lanka. in ensuring sustainable It will focus on four sources of risks that can have implications on different levels of development. society: households, firms, the public sector and the macroeconomy. The definition of risk depends on the level of society affected: certain reforms that are necessary from a macroeconomic perspective (public sector and macroeconomy) can be perceived as a source of risk at the microeconomic level (households and firms). See Table 5: 1. Fiscal policy reforms (VAT and energy price reforms) 2. Trade policy reforms 3. Public debt and contingent liabilities 4. Natural disasters and climate change N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 33 Sri Lanka Development Update Table 5: Impact of sources of risk to levels of society Source: World Bank Managing these Not managing the risks could lead to a slowdown in reform momentum, slowdown risks well would lead in growth and deterioration in the external position, increased vulnerability to shocks to new opportunities for households, and less favorable views of investors and financial markets. for households, firms and strengthen the However, if managed well it is expected that these reforms could lead to new public sector and opportunities, such as better jobs, more business opportunities, a healthier society, macroeconomy. better infrastructure and quality of life and a more stable macroeconomic environment. This points to a clear agenda to strengthen the capacity to analyze risks, and design and implement risk mitigation mechanisms. The public sector and especially the budget plays a special role in its ability to mitigate risks. There is also a need to communicate reforms well, be open about the risks and opportunities and make credible announcements how the risks can be mitigated. 1. Fiscal reforms To support the fiscal Since its introduction, the performance of VAT as a share of GDP has fallen sharply, consolidation, it is with collection falling from 5.7 to 2.0 over the 2005-2015 period, caused to a large important to broaden extent by the widening set of exempted goods, services and programs, reaching close the Value Added Tax to 400 by 2017, thus narrowing the tax base. Many of the exemptions on final (VAT) base. consumption goods are effectively subsidies to the non-poor, since they account for most of the consumption of these items. Those exemptions therefore increase inequality. Since VAT is in principle not a burden on firms in the value chain, the existence of VAT exemptions on intermediate goods is the result of individual firms lobbying for exemptions. However, the aggregate impact of the exemptions offset these individual benefits to some extent. This backdrop warrants a discussion to revisit VAT exemptions with a view to widen the tax base and support revenue-led fiscal consolidation. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 34 Sri Lanka Development Update These reforms are The elimination of some of the VAT exemptions and broadening of the VAT net will expected to create directly strengthen the fiscal balance. While the increase in the VAT rate and removal opportunities for the of exemptions may increase the price level, there are many expected benefits that public sector, while would offset this effect: (1) a simpler and more predictable VAT system is better for improving the business and job creation; (2) improved macroeconomic and fiscal stability will allow business more stable inflation, which improves the business and investment climate and is environment through generally good for the poor; (3) increased fiscal space for investment in physical and a simpler tax system. human capital to improve productivity and sustain growth with an aging population. However, the The increase in prices driven by the removal of VAT exemptions will affect all removal of VAT households but the extent of the policy’s impact will be determined by a household’s exemptions will raise position in the income distribution. Higher prices will have a negative impact on the cost of living, poverty and inequality, with households living close to the poverty line facing a raising the risk for heightened risk of being pushed into poverty. If VAT exemptions are removed for some households to items consumed predominantly by non-poor, the increase in poverty is likely to be fall into poverty. modest and the increase in inequality even more so. Indeed, for many exemptions the top 60 percent of society account for 75 percent of spending, compared to the bottom 40 percent, which makes them effectively subsidies benefitting the non-poor. To manage this risk, To maximize the fiscal benefits and minimize the risk of increasing poverty, it is the government important to focus on removing exemptions on goods that (1) account for large needs to carefully amounts of foregone tax revenue (i.e., a high tax expenditure); (2) are effective choose VAT subsidies to the non-poor (the non-poor account for most of the spending), and (3) exemptions for are not important in the bottom 40 percent’s household. Preliminary estimates show removal and use that by abolishing VAT exemptions predominantly consumed by the non-poor and targeted fiscal replaced by reasonably well-targeted fiscal spending, for every 100 rupees recovered expenditures to from abolishing the exemption, only about 25 rupees need to be devoted to spending mitigate the impact targeted to the poor to mitigate the impact. The better the targeting of the spending on the poor. to the poor, the lower the spending needed, and the larger the net fiscal revenue increase. Employing timely and targeted fiscal measures to mitigate the impact on the poor is critical as these households often lack the resources and preparedness to cope with adverse shocks in a sustainable and effective way, while the targeting will maximize the positive net fiscal impact. The most natural way to channel the funds would be through targeted cash transfers, such as Samurdhi. However, since Samurdhi benefits reach many non-poor, this system needs to be reformed first. In the meantime, the additional fiscal resources can also be used in other ways to reach the poor, for example, through improvements in public health and education provision (which are highly progressive in nature), or public investment projects in DS divisions with high poverty rates. Adopting such measures to mitigate the impact of these risks and communicating them to the public at the onset of these reforms will go a long way towards gaining public support and ensuring that the policy reforms are accepted and successful while also minimizing or even offsetting the adverse outcomes that are unavoidable in the short run. Reforms to the fuel The government is also planning reforms to the fuel and energy pricing regime and electricity prices moving from a system of administered prices to allowing the state-owned utilities to above cost-recovery charge prices above cost-recovery levels. This will allow these firms to be financially N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 35 Sri Lanka Development Update levels are expected to sustainable and reduce the fiscal risk to the government, which manifests itself present similar through repeated recapitalizations of the utilities, clearing intra-SOE arrears and opportunities and exposure of state-owned banks to the SOEs, while it may also improve their challenges. transparency and quality of service. Since the non-poor are the largest consumers of fuel and electricity (the top 30 percent of society consumes 70 percent of fuel, well ahead of direct and indirect consumption of fuel by the bottom 40 percent through the use of public transport), the administered fuel prices are an effective subsidy to the non-poor funded indirectly by fiscal resources. The reforms will, therefore, pose similar risks and opportunities for vulnerable households, as VAT reforms. As with the VAT reform, fuel and electricity reforms should go hand in hand with strengthening safety net and targeted expenditure to mitigate the impact on the poor, while preserving fiscal resources. The opportunities would be a stronger public balance sheet through reduced fiscal risk and a better pass-through of global commodity prices to users, which could facilitate a shift to alternative fuel sources and lead to a more stable balance of payments, as the volume of fuel imports would fall if global prices rise. 2. Trade policy reforms Sri Lanka’s trade Having recognized the significance of open, competitive economic policies that can share of GDP has boost economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction —particularly in the small shrunk since 2000, open economy context—Sri Lanka pioneered trade liberalization among South Asian leading to a risky countries in the 1970s. However, policy reversals since the mid-2000s have led to a status quo due to the regression back to the trade restrictiveness of the 1970s, marked by the introduction concentration on a of para-tariffs, such as the export and import cess and the Ports and Aviation Levy few export products (PAL) (see Box 5). This has created a strong anti-export bias, which has been reflected and export markets. in the dramatic decline in the trade-to-GDP ratio (from 89 percent in 2000 to 48 percent in 2016) and an unchanged composition of exports. As a result of an inward- oriented growth model, Sri Lanka suffers from a structurally weak external position, and is vulnerable to shocks in a few key export markets (textiles, tea and rubber) and a few destinations (European Union and the United States). The internal While being mindful of the impact on fiscal revenue and balance of payments, the conditions and tariff reform needs to incorporate a gradual but firm liberalization schedule, allowing external environment time for adjustment, with a fixed phase-out schedule. Para-tariffs are non-transparent mean that a gradual in nature and their ad-hoc imposition as an easy “go-to” for revenue generation takes but firm away predictability, which is critical for production and investment decisions. It is liberalization clear, therefore, that they need to be consolidated, reduced in magnitude, and schedule is needed. eventually eliminated. Similarly, export taxes on agricultural commodities need to be revisited as the rationale behind them is no longer clear. International experience suggests that many countries, transitioned to upper middle income level, have gone through similar processes (Box 5). Trade reforms and Trade reforms will increase Sri Lanka’s openness to trade, with an expected positive tariff liberalization impact on GDP, exports and imports and possibly a lowering of the price level that will create new consumers face. The opportunities arising from trade reforms will present themselves opportunities in the at all levels in the medium to long-term. The economy will be able to generate more N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 36 Sri Lanka Development Update medium to long- and better jobs for households; firms are expected to become more productive and term. will be able to enter new markets and seize new opportunities, increased economic activity along with tax reforms will support tax revenue; and the external position of Sri Lanka is likely to strengthen in the medium to long term, while a more diversified basket of goods and export markets will make the macroeconomy more resilient. Policy simulations suggest that the expected increase in economic activity and trade, with remaining duties in place and other ongoing tax revenue reforms will offset the possible revenue losses from reducing the tariff and para-tariff rates. However, impact of Since trade policy reforms affect relative prices in the economy, firms in almost any reforms is not economic sector, even protected ones, would be affected, through changes in input uniform, some and/or output prices. Some firms and sectors will grow while others may struggle to sectors will face survive, unless they become more productive. While the opening up of the economy difficulties in the is expected to lead to more investment, more product choice, and new and better paid short-run. jobs, households would be affected through changes in the real wage (compared to the price of their consumption basket), changes in prices, and employment. The reduction in duties and para-tariffs would also lead to lower tax revenue from those sources for the public sector. Managing the It is expected that the overall benefits, in term of GDP growth, net job creation, downside risk quality of new jobs and the price level will outweigh the costs and that such costs can through mitigating be managed through public policy. The impact on households can be mitigated the short-term through a strengthened and well-targeted social safety net, retraining programs and negative impacts on transferable pension arrangements. Improving the business environment, including households and improving trade facilitation, will make it easier for firms and workers to benefit from firms is essential. growing sectors. While the public sector would reduce its reliance on revenue from duties and para- tariffs, the net impact will be dampened by the impact of increased trade on the remaining duties. Economy-wide, the impact of opening up may lead to an initial increase in imports before exports start to increase, causing the trade balance to temporarily worsen before it improves. For this reason, the time to start to reform is now, given strengthened foreign exchange reserves and commodity prices projected to rise gradually. Early public communication is key to gain public support for this agenda, since those who benefit often have a less powerful and uniform voice than those who lose out. Box 5: The Complexity of Sri Lanka’s Tariff Structure and Reform Possibilities The government of Sri Lanka has recently adopted the New Trade Policy36 with “an overarching objective to improve domestic productive capacity and trade performance, revitalize the nation ’s integration in global and regional markets, raise the living standards of the people and accelerate the nation’s long-term economic growth rate”. A central piece of the implementation of this strategy is to simplify and reduce the burden of protective import taxes. Indeed, Sri Lanka’s import tax structure has become a complex web of tariffs and para-tariffs that have been revised frequently during the last decade. The revisions have been ad hoc, inconsistent, and have followed different directions. The number and complexity of the taxes on imports impair the development of competitive firms, industries, and exports. 36 http://modsit.gov.lk/images/New-Trade-Policy.pdf N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 37 Sri Lanka Development Update Ports and Airports Development Levy (PAL) and Cess are two prominent para-tariffs. As of October 2017, besides Customs Duties (CDs) which have rates of 0 percent; 15 percent, and 30 percent,37 there are two taxes that apply exclusively to imports (“para-tariffs”): (i) PAL with rates of 0, 2.5 and 7.5 percent; and (ii) import cess, which has ad-valorem, specific and mixed rates that range from 1 percent to 465 percent.38 In addition, three other taxes are charged on both imports and domestic production (VAT, NBT and Excise) and one composite tax (Special Commodity Levy) is charged in lieu of all other taxes for a small number of mainly agricultural commodities. Para-tariffs add significantly to overall protection of Figure 22: Cess prevalence and implied average domestic production. While PAL applies to most tariff protection in different sectors lines (84 percent of the total) with uniform and low rates, the import cess applies to 28 percent of tariff lines with significantly higher rates (59 percent of tariff lines under cess pay a cess rate above 10 percent). The cess is also imposed non-uniformly between sectors with more than half of tariff lines in sectors like footwear, vegetables, textiles, plastics, and foodstuff, paying import cess. On the other hand, less than 10 percent of tariff lines in sectors like machinery, chemicals, and transportation pay import cess. Because the import cess generally falls on items paying non-zero customs duties, the level of protection afforded by the combination of tariffs and para-tariffs can become very high. Thus, average protection implied by the cess tends to be higher for sectors like foodstuff, footwear, glass, vegetables, etc. (Figure 1). Revenues generated by para-tariffs are relatively low, Source: Customs data, staff calculations making tariff rationalization manageable from a revenue standpoint. In 2016, the two most prominent para-tariffs, Cess and PAL, represented less than 10 percent of total government revenue. The largest share of revenue from imports arises from domestic taxes such as Excise, VAT, and NBT applied to imports. These taxes, along with the SCL, generated more than 28 percent of total tax revenue in 2016. Finally, the government forgoes considerable revenues through the provision of many exemptions to several of the seven taxes applied on imports for different purposes. Thus, from a revenue point of view, there is considerable room to rationalize the very pervasive and complex para-tariff regime. The complexity of para-tariffs also means that there is much scope for relatively painless rationalization. For example, there are many tariff lines where revenue collections are very low or negligible. There are a very large number of tariff lines where the import cess is specific (as in Rs/unit), and could be converted to ad-valorem. The overall duty structure is also very dispersed, and a serious effort could be made to reduce this variation. A broader reform of all tariffs and para-tariffs also needs to begin, as announced in the New Trade Policy. Such reforms are expected to have a positive impact on the economy as a whole, with the gains in GDP, exports, and imports, as well as a lowering of the price level for consumers outweighing the impact on those sectors that are less competitive and face a risk of shrinking. The process is manageable, and a part of the transition to upper middle income levels. For example, Thailand reduced its average tariffs from 40.4 percent in 1991 to 8.2 percent in 2014; Malaysia from 13.6 to 3.4 percent between 1991 and 2014. Both countries are in the upper middle income ranks. Sri Lanka’s average tariffs (including para - tariffs), by contrast, rose from 13.4 to 21.9 percent between 2004 and 2016. 37Specific or mixed custom duty rates apply to 262 tariff lines (3.8 percent of total). 38The import cess is only applied on 1,937 tariff lines (TLs). The ad-valorem rates apply to 598 TLs and range from 1 percent to 70 percent; specific rates apply to 522 TLs and range from LKR 4/kg to LKR 6,000/kg; mixed rates apply to 817 TLs and range from 8 percent or LKR 25/kg (whichever higher) to 35 percent or LKR. 2,000/kg (whichever higher). The ad-valorem equivalents of specific and mixed rates usually exceed 10 percent and can reach up to 350 percent. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 38 Sri Lanka Development Update 3. Public debt and contingent liabilities Sri Lanka’s public At 79.3 percent of GDP, Sri Lanka’s public debt is high compared to its regional debt is high and peers. Moreover, the debt portfolio has deteriorated in several indicators; especially, shows significant in relation to external debt. The country’s transition towards Upper Middle -Income risks. status has led to more commercial borrowing terms and increased the cost and risk. The non-concessional and commercial component of the government foreign debt rose from 1 percent in 2000 to 53 percent in 2016. The interest rate risks on foreign currency debt has risen, while average interest rates also increased. The average time to maturity has shortened, and reserve adequacy in relation to share of the foreign- currency commercial debt component has deteriorated. Given the bunching in external Eurobond repayments, external debt service could become a matter of concern starting from 2019 (Box 6). Guaranteed and non-guaranteed SOE debt amounted to about LKR 1.3 trillion or 12 percent of GDP, presenting additional fiscal risk. Compounded by The fragmented institutional framework and lack of a comprehensive debt structural challenges management strategy leaves the public sector exposed to a debt portfolio with high in debt management cost and risk in the domestic market as well. The decades-old legal framework falls short in providing a comprehensive framework for modern debt management. 39 The Private Public Partnership (PPP) agenda may move the direct fiscal cost of investment to the private sector, but may require the public sector to assume more fiscal risk. Improvement in debt Reforms in debt management and SOEs are crucial for macroeconomic stability. management will Improved debt management may reduce the interest cost or risks of government debt help develop the and support fiscal consolidation while reducing fiscal risks. Managing liabilities domestic financial actively will mitigate refinancing risks, contribute to improved investor perceptions market, and improve and possible upgrading of credit rating (Box 6). Improved debt management will also access to finance. lead to deeper, more liquid domestic debt markets that support private capital market development. Less fiscal pressures on financial markets will reduce market interest rates and thereby the cost of funding for households and firms. Together with the expected presentation of the Secured Transactions Registry Act, which will allow firms to pledge movable collateral for loans, this would support access to finance on reasonable terms for the struggling SME sector. Improvement in SOE governance may reduce fiscal pressures and improve service delivery. 39 A well-defined legal framework for debt management includes the following: clear authorization for the Executive branch to borrow and issue guarantees on behalf of the government, definition of long- term debt management objectives to guide the debt management office, definition of the purposes of borrowing (including to finance budget deficit and cash needs, to refinance and prefinance outstanding debt, to honor guarantees, to fulfil requirements by the central bank to issue Treasury bills), requirement of the Executive branch to develop a debt management strategy in line with objectives to guide borrowing decisions; and requirement to report annually on the implementation of the strategy to Parliament (World Bank, Debt Management Performance Assessment tool, http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/debt/brief/dempa-2015). N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 39 Sri Lanka Development Update However, urgent Fiscal risks emanating from the debt portfolio and SOE-related liabilities highlight action is needed to the need to carry out reforms. In this context, the government has initiated steps to manage the set up a unified Debt Management Office (DMO) to manage the debt portfolio, but downside risks of progress has been slow. In order to enhance performance and reduce the fiscal risk public debt and of SOEs, the government already has signed Statements of Corporate Intent with five contingent liabilities key SOEs and is planning to sign a few more. Although these are important steps in the right direction, more needs to be done to manage the risks and reap the benefits of improved performance. The World Bank recommends that the government: • Continue the already started work on establishing the unified DMO and strengthen the legal framework for debt management, which currently has some gaps. • Formulate and implement a comprehensive Medium-term Debt Management Strategy (MTDS): A proactive debt management strategy can provide guidance to the DMO on how to consider trade-off between the costs and risks of available domestic and external borrowing options, while enhancing transparency and predictability in the domestic financial market that will contribute to capital market development. • Active Liability Management (ALM): ALM operations could mitigate the refinancing risks emanating from the bunching of Eurobond maturities, and could help domestic bond market development. Changes to the budget’s legal framework are needed to allow ALM operations (Box 6). • Formulate a guarantee policy: A well-designed guarantee policy could ensure that guarantees are going to priority sectors while helping manage fiscal risks. Key elements would be an independent credit risk assessment, charging a risk-adjusted guarantee paid into a guarantee fund, and close monitoring of the beneficiary and the project throughout the lifetime of a project and a consolidated presentation of debt and contingent liabilities. This is even more important given the government’s vision to promote PPPs as an important vehicle for large projects. • Strengthen capacity for modern debt management: Staff capacity in modern debt management techniques and toolkits is critically important. Among others, these include formulation and implementation of an MTDS and an annual borrowing plan, carrying out a Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA), and ability to evaluate various debt instruments and options for a prospective Upper Middle Income Country. • Manage fiscal risks from SOEs through implementing performance agreements and monitoring mechanisms, establishing a centralized state ownership institution to improve the effectiveness of public enterprises oversight and reduce fiscal risks, and enhancing the capacity of public enterprise boards to improve operational and financial performance. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 40 Sri Lanka Development Update Box 6: Active liability management could potentially reduce costs and risks for Sri Lanka’s debt. Sri Lanka faces external sovereign bond maturities starting from 2019 to 2023 and from 2025 to 2027 (USD 9.65 billion). The situation is exacerbated by maturing bonds of commercial banks and Sri Lankan Airlines during the period from 2017 to 2019 (approximately USD 1.8 billion). Figure 23: Eurobond and SOE bond maturities Large bullet repayments of over USD 1.0 billion are (USD million) new to Sri Lanka. Such payments could expose the 2,000 country to refinancing risk and the investors could 1,800 become wary of the country’s external liquidity leading 1,600 to higher spreads. Similarly, partial roll overs due to challenging environments (created by large repayments) 1,400 could lead to loss of reserves and exchange rate 1,200 pressures. These factors could adversely influence 1,000 macroeconomic stability. 800 One important way to manage debt portfolio is Active 600 Liability Management (ALM). ALM refers to taking 400 actions beyond the regular calendar of debt issuance 200 and servicing in a particular fiscal year; and is aimed at executing the goals of the debt management strategy 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 through instruments such as occasional buy-backs of both external and domestic debt before its maturity, Sovereign bonds Banks and SLA switching (buy-backs and re-issuance) of bonds, and Source: Central bank of Sri Lanka, respective annual reports of building cash buffers for future redemptions. The SOEs government, for example, could decide to buy back one of the 2019 sovereign bonds (there are two bonds maturing in 2019: USD 500 and USD 1,000) now and issue a bond, maturing in 2024 – a year in which there is no sovereign bond maturing. The benefits of ALM include (a) mitigating the bunching risk by improving the maturity profile; (b) lowering costs; and (c) reducing refinancing risks. It could simultaneously help improve the sovereign credit rating. However, ALM could create some fiscal costs related to buy-backs and higher interest rates due to extension of maturities. Similar to external debt, domestic debt in Treasury bonds and bills can be managed actively to improve the debt profile and market liquidity. Building cash buffers, buy-backs and switches could help debt management by lowering the cost and risks of the debt portfolio and by focusing on a limited number of benchmark maturities, which would (a) provide liquidity for primary and secondary market trading; (b) establish a stable and credible yield curve; and (c) help with the development of private debt markets. Moreover, buy-backs could be used to capitalize on market interest rate movements. Timing is important in ALM. Financial market considerations suggest that such a buy back should be expedited as (a) Sri Lanka’s bonds spreads have come down in the past few months due mainly to the confidenc e in the IMF program; (b) Tighter than anticipated global financial markets could increase the interest rate for new bonds issued; and (c) active debt management would signal the investors that Sri Lanka is addressing refinancing risks prior to large redemptions that could potentially have implications on macroeconomic stability. In order to facilitate ALM, the present legal framework on budgetary operations need changes. The annual Appropriation Act currently only gives the space to service the debt maturing in the budget, and does not allow explicitly for the building up of cash buffers and early retirement of debt maturing beyond the budget year. Simple changes to the provisions of the Act would provide sufficient flexibility for liability management for debt maturing in future years, while still providing an anchor for fiscal consolidation. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 41 Sri Lanka Development Update 4. Natural disasters and climate change Sri Lanka is On average over the long term, annual losses for housing, infrastructure, agriculture, vulnerable to and relief from natural disasters are estimated at LKR 50 billion (or around USD 327 recurring natural million), with the highest annual expected losses from floods (LKR 32 billion), disasters. cyclones or high winds (LKR 11 billion), droughts (LKR 5.2 billion) and landslides (LKR 1.8 billion). This is equivalent to 0.4 percent of GDP or 2.1 percent of government expenditure.40 The execution of the budget is continuously knocked off track due to the impact of natural disasters, which seem to have increased in frequency, severity and economic impact. Evidence of disasters can be seen everywhere in the macroeconomic data: the contraction in the agriculture sector in GDP data, the increase in food price inflation, the decline in revenue due to temporary removal of duties on essential goods, reallocated fiscal expenditure, increased imports of essential goods, increased imports of oil (due to the 2016/17 drought’s impact on hydro power) and reduced exports due to damage and losses in the productive sectors. Due to the increased sophistication of the Sri Lankan economy, the damage caused by the 2016 and 2017 floods and landslides was more than twice as high in US dollar terms than the worst flood disasters between 1992 and 2011. Better disaster risk Better disaster preparedness and faster response to disaster will have benefits for all management will levels of society. There would be less physical damage from disasters and economic create significant losses through opportunity costs (such as lost harvests, interruption of production, benefits at all levels alternative uses of public assets such as using schools for shelter). Households will be of society. safer from disasters and the resulting harm and loss of life, loss of jobs, houses and food insecurity. Firms will face fewer interruptions in production. Public infrastructure will be easier to maintain at a higher quality. The public sector would benefit as it will be less subject to revenue and expenditure shocks and fiscal risks, and the macroeconomy will be more stable. To manage the risk It is important for Sri Lanka to increase its physical resilience (to reduce impact of of disasters Sri disasters) and financial resilience (to deal with the impact when the disaster happens). Lanka needs to improve its physical To improve physical resilience, the World Bank is supporting the government’s and financial Climate Resilience Improvement Project (CRIP)41 and recommends that the resilience to natural government disasters 1. Identify current climate and disaster risk, and implement immediate risk mitigation interventions; 2. Identify future drivers of risk; 3. Create basin-level long-term risk mitigation investment plans, followed by physical investments; 4. Improve disaster preparedness of people. To improve financial resilience, the World Bank recommends the following options to increase the government’s immediate financial response capacity aga inst natural disasters and better protect its fiscal balance as well as to achieve timely response, relief and recovery: 40 “Fiscal Disaster Risk Assessment and Risk Financing Options: Sri Lanka”, World Bank, January 2016. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/24689 41 http://crip.lk/ N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 42 Sri Lanka Development Update Short term (a) Streamline damage-and-loss data collection and reporting system; (b) Develop a national disaster risk financing strategy; (c) Review the sustainability of the current catastrophe insurance program implemented by the government; Enhance data sharing for insurance market development; (d) Develop a National Recovery Plan for floods and landslides; Medium to long term (e) Develop financial tools to support decision making, including a disaster risk model for Ministry of Finance; establish a National Disaster Reserve Fund as a fast-disbursement mechanism for the financing of post-disaster operations; (f) Explore catastrophe risk insurance options for public assets; (g) Strengthen the agricultural insurance program; There exists a huge, untapped potential for corporate sector interventions into disaster risk reduction to enhance national resilience in Sri Lanka. However, there is no Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy in Sri Lanka or appropriate policy guidelines on required interventions in disaster risk reduction under a CSR, which would give direction to the corporate sector in Sri Lanka. Such a CSR policy has the potential to make a significant contribution to enhancing national resilience. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 43 Sri Lanka Development Update D. World Bank Group Assistance The World Bank The World Bank Group has been supporting Sri Lanka’s development for close to Group is committed six decades. Sri Lanka is in many ways a development success story, and yet faces a to supporting Sri number of critical challenges as it pursues its goal of becoming an upper middle- Lanka’s transition to income country. The Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD)42 carried out in 2015 an upper middle- identifies critical constraints and opportunities that Sri Lanka faces in accelerating income country. progress toward the goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity in a sustainable manner. They include: (i) achieving fiscal sustainability; (ii) enhancing competitiveness and promoting more and better jobs for the bottom 40 percent; (iii) providing for social inclusion for disadvantaged segments of the population; and (iv) attaining longer term sustainability, especially of the environment, political stability, and an aging population). In addition, strengthening governance is a cross-cutting challenge. The SCD anchors the World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for FY2017–20.43 The Country Under the CPF, the World Bank Group will contribute to Sri Lanka’s transition to a Partnership more competitive, inclusive, and resilient upper-middle income country. Main areas Framework is of support include macro-fiscal stability and competitiveness; promoting inclusion anchored by the and opportunities for all; and seizing green growth opportunities, improving Systematic Country environmental management, and enhancing adaptation and mitigation potential. Sri Diagnostic. Lanka has graduated from IDA and is receiving IDA transition financing during IDA 18 (FY2018-20). IFC gives priority to sustainable infrastructure (through PPP’s), financial inclusion, and access to input/output markets, products, services and jobs. MIGA is ready to provide guarantees where possible to support foreign investment projects across sectors. 42 The SCD report and video are available online at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2016/02/15/sri-lanka-a-systematic-country-diagnostic 43 The CPF is available at: CPF: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/24682 N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 44 Sri Lanka Development Update The World Bank Current active World Bank portfolio comprises 16 projects with a total net portfolio covers a commitment value of USD 1.98 billion (14 IDA, 1 IBRD, and 1 IBRD-IDA blend). range of areas to The World Bank has provided a mix of financing – investment project, development support Sri Lanka’s policy, and program-for-results – to meet the development needs of Sri Lanka. The transition. first development policy financing was approved in July 2016 and focuses on policy reforms to strengthen the country’s trade and competitiveness. It is co -financed by JICA, and complements IMF’s Extended Fund Facility. The first program -for-results financing was approved in May 2017 to support the government’s program to improve higher education. Urban and rural development sectors account for the largest share of the portfolio both in terms of number of projects (28 percent) and total commitment (38 percent). The second largest sector of engagement is education (22 percent of total number of projects, and 16 percent of total net commitment), followed by water (11 percent of total number of projects, 15 percent of total net commitment). In addition to lending, the World Bank is carrying out analytical work and technical assistance across various sectors, funded both through trust funds and own budget. The World Bank has extended its support in close coordination and collaboration with development partners, including through co-financing of projects and leveraging private sector resources where opportunities arise. IFC continues to IFC’s activities in Sri Lanka are supporting the World Bank Group’s CPF goals. By engage in areas working closely with the private sector, the government, and the World Bank, IFC where private sector focuses on facilitating inclusive growth by crowding in private sector finance. IFC in solutions help Sri Lanka addresses key development gaps by focusing on financial and social address key inclusion, infrastructure, productivity, and sustainability. To foster inclusion, IFC is development working on increasing access to finance, especially to SMEs and women, and seeking challenges laid out in opportunities to help expand quality healthcare, affordable housing, and training and the CPS. education for skills development. IFC launched a “Women in Work” program to demonstrate that corporate performance can improve by closing gaps between men and women in the private sector. IFC’s support for sustainable infrastructure aims to improve electricity service, complete critical last mile infrastructure, and revamp logistics and services infrastructure. In sustainability, IFC will promote renewable solutions, narrow the green/affordable housing gap and support climate change adaptation and resource efficiency applications. IFC is also targeting sectors with significant job creation impacts especially agribusiness, tourism, and pharmaceuticals. IFC is taking steps As of June 30, 2017, IFC’s total committed investment portfolio stood at about USD to increase the 334 million. In addition, IFC has an advisory program comprising 12 portfolio committed projects with a combined portfolio value of USD 12.5 million. IFC’s advisory projects investment portfolio. are helping boost access to finance and insurance, build business skills for entrepreneurs, improve economic empowerment of women, develop supply chains, and promote the growth of tourism. MIGA stands ready Sri Lanka is an important country for MIGA, and the Agency looks forward to to support FDI, in supporting foreign investment into high development impact operations, which are support of the aligned with the World Bank Group’s goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting WBG’s goals. shared prosperity in a sustainable manner. MIGA stands ready to participate in productive projects, across sectors, in the country, including in partnership with the World Bank and IFC. N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 45 Sri Lanka Development Update Key Economic Indicators Macroeconomic Indicators Actual Projections 2015 2016 2017 2018 Real sector GDP, (current, LKR billion) 10,952 11,839 12,999 14,353 GDP per capita, (current, US$) 3,843 3,835 3,934 4,097 Real GDP growth (%) 4.8 4.4 4.6 5.0 CCPI inflation (%) 0.9 4.0 5.2 5.2 Percent of GDP, unless otherwise indicated External sector Trade balance -10.4 -11.2 -11.1 -11.0 Exports of goods 13.1 12.7 12.9 13.1 Imports of goods 23.5 23.9 24.0 24.1 Tourism receipts 3.7 4.3 4.6 4.8 Remittances 8.7 8.9 8.6 8.5 External Current Account -2.3 -2.4 -2.4 -2.5 FDI inflows 0.8 0.8 1.7 1.7 Official reserves (USD billion) 7.3 6.0 7.8 8.6 Official reserves (months of imports of goods and services) 3.8 3.1 3.8 4.0 Exchange rate (end period, LKR/USD) 144.1 149.8 … … Fiscal accounts Total revenue and grants 13.3 14.3 14.6 15.2 Tax revenue 12.4 12.4 13.1 13.6 Total expenditure 20.9 19.7 19.7 19.6 Current expenditure 15.5 14.8 15.0 14.6 Capital and net lending 5.4 4.9 4.7 5.0 Primary Balance -2.8 -0.2 0.5 1.1 Overall fiscal balance1 -7.6 -5.4 -5.1 -4.4 2 Public debt 77.6 79.3 79.2 77.4 Treasury guarantees (granted) 5.6 7.1 … … Monetary/financial sector Standing deposit facility rate (% per annum) 6.0 7.0 … … Standing lending facility rate (% per annum) 7.5 8.5 … … Private sector credit growth (M2b3, %) 25.1 21.9 16.9 15.9 Note: These projections do not yet include the impact of the 2017 floods, as the full damage and loss have not yet been estimated. 1 2015 fiscal balance includes charges incurred in 2014 but accounted in 2015. The IMF estimates the fiscal deficit in 2014 and 2015 as 6.2 and 6.9 percent of GDP, respectively (see footnote 9). 2 Public debt number excludes: debt contracted by SOEs and state agencies with or without a Treasury guarantee, and Treasury bonds amounting to LKR 78,447 million issued to settle dues to CPC in January 2012 and LKR 13,125 million issued to capitalize Sri Lankan Airlines in March 2013 (as reported by the CBSL), and the overdraft facility at two state banks of LKR 159 billion at end-2016, down from LKR 193 billion at end-2015 (Minister of Finance annual report 2016). 3 Includes currency, demand deposits, time and savings deposits held by the public with commercial banks Sources: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Ministry of Finance, staff projections N o ve m be r 2 01 7 T H E W O R LD BAN K 46