[{"bbox": [142, 148, 1086, 512], "category": "Text", "text": "progress on policy reform developments (such as the all-of-government anti-corruption\nstrategy) and implementation (Citizen Charter and Women Economic Empowerment\nProgramme) whilst highlighting the challenges in terms of security, political uncertainty and\nfiscal sustainability. Afghanistan's national policies have been consolidated in 2016 in the\nANPDF⁴ and underpinned by ten sector-specific NPPs⁵ with a strong focus on delivering\nresults, driving policies through public finance management and streamlined NPPs, thereby\nincreasing linkages among ministries and reducing fragmentation. The new development\npolicies reflect a credible and ambitious Afghan leadership in formulating and implementing its\nreform priorities under reinforced ownership. ANPDF with its pronounced focus on inclusive\ngrowth, job creation and human development represents in this regard a credible policy\nframework if implemented successfully."}, {"bbox": [142, 527, 1086, 890], "category": "Text", "text": "There has been a positive albeit limited track record in ANPDF and NPPs policy\nimplementation in 2017 due to delays in setting up an implementation and monitoring\nframework as well as the operationalization of a clear governance structure with development\npartners – Development Councils vs inter-ministerial executive Committees-, as well as the\nimpact of external and internal shocks. Despite the Government's political commitment to the\ndevelopment policies delineated in the ANPDF and NPPs as well as commitment to recognizing\nthe budget as the tool for development policy implementation, the integration of development\npolicies into the national budget FY1396/2017 and FY1397/2018 is limited, mostly due to fiscal\nspace constraints. The process of technical budget reform and a revision, prioritization and\nalignment of all the current projects and strategic plans of line ministries with the ANPDF⁶\nintroduced with the FY 1397 (2018) budget is based on more realistic revenue projections⁷ in"}, {"bbox": [144, 933, 1054, 957], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁴ Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework (ANPDF 2017-2021). Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 2016."}, {"bbox": [144, 957, 1084, 1069], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁵ Afghanistan National Priority Programmes (NPPs 2017-2021). Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 2016 and 2017. Citizen Charter, Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE), National Infrastructure Plan, National Comprehensive Agriculture Development Programme, Justice Sector Reform Plan, National Mineral and Resources Development Programme, Human Capital Development Programme, Effective Governance Programme (PMF and Subnational Governance), Urban Development Programme, Private Sector Development Programme."}, {"bbox": [144, 1069, 1084, 1221], "category": "Footnote", "text": "Of these, the PFM component (Fiscal Performance Improvement Plan) for the Effective Governance Programme started implementation in 2016; three have started implementation in early 2017 (Citizen Charter, Women Economic Empowerment, Justice and Legal Sector Reform Programme); three are still being finalized following the presentation of their concept notes at BCA (Urban Development Programme, the National Infrastructure Programme and the Comprehensive Agriculture Development Programme) and four are being developed for presentation at the Ministerial meeting in November 2018 (Private Sector Development Programme, Effective Governance Programme – subnational governance component, National Mineral and Resources Development Programme, and Human Capital Development Programme)."}, {"bbox": [144, 1221, 1084, 1378], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶ Under the leadership of the Minister of Finance and incentivized by the EU's SBC I, the foundations were set for a policy-based budget through a series of crucial reform measures including: (1) unprecedented level of disclosures including historical data; (2) full consolidation of Development Budget (both discretionary and non-discretionary) and Operating Budget; (3) multi-dimensional budgeting (classification by economic category, administrative code, province, funding, projects, programs, etc.); (4) parameter-driven rolling Forward Estimates (i.e. Medium-term Expenditure Framework—MTEF) for three years beyond the budget year; and (5) Statement of Compliance with international standards (currently Government Finance Statistics—GFS on cash basis)."}, {"bbox": [144, 1378, 1084, 1539], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ (1) Projected real GDP growth in 2018-2020 (1397-99) - at 3.4 percent per year - is on average more than one percentage point lower than it was in the 2017 budget; (2) Revenue projections also are lower, reducing the scope for inflated expenditures given the essentially balanced budget approach. For the three years following the actual budget year (2019, 2020 and 2021), this budget projects revenue increasing on average by more than two percentage points less per year than the 2017 budget did for its three outer years; (3) On-budget aid projections are much more conservative in the 2018 budget which follows from a painful lesson learnt in 2017, when grant receipts were lower than budgeted for that year, resulting in an estimated shortfall of AFN 40 billion (close to USD 600m). This budget projects grants dropping by a further AFN 27 billion (approaching USD"}, {"bbox": [605, 1606, 630, 1628], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "[5]"}]