Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI2403
2003-05-19 12:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
GREATER TRANSPARENCY FOR THE UAE BUDGET IN-LINE
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 05/24/2007 04:07:16 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: CONFIDENTIAL SIPDIS TELEGRAM May 19, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 2403 - UNKNOWN) TAGS: ECON, EFIN, EINV, PGOV Captions: None Subject: GREATER TRANSPARENCY FOR THE UAE BUDGET IN-LINE WITH IMF RECOMMENDATIONS Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 02403 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: DCM POL P/M AMB Laser1: INFO: FCS DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: CDA: RALBRIGHT DRAFTED: ECON: CCRUMPLER CLEARED: A/DCM: TWILLIAMS VZCZCADI835 OO RUEHC RUEHZM RUEAWJA RUCPDOC RUEATRS RHEHNSC RUEAIIA RHEFDIA DE RUEHAD #2403 1391246 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 191246Z MAY 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0005 INFO RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE RUEAWJA/DOJ WASHDC RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002403
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB, NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA
DOJ FOR T. GREENBERG
COMMERCE PASS TO C. LOUSTAUNAU
TREASURY PASS FEDERAL RESERVE
NSC FOR J. MYERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2008
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV PGOV TC
SUBJECT: GREATER TRANSPARENCY FOR THE UAE BUDGET IN-LINE
WITH IMF RECOMMENDATIONS
REF: ABU DHABI 526
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002403
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB, NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA
DOJ FOR T. GREENBERG
COMMERCE PASS TO C. LOUSTAUNAU
TREASURY PASS FEDERAL RESERVE
NSC FOR J. MYERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2008
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV PGOV TC
SUBJECT: GREATER TRANSPARENCY FOR THE UAE BUDGET IN-LINE
WITH IMF RECOMMENDATIONS
REF: ABU DHABI 526
1. (U) Classified by Charge d'Affaires Richard A. Albright
for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).
2. (C) UAE Minister of State for Finance Dr. Mohammed
Khalfan Khirbash forwarded the 2003-2005 federal budgets to
the UAE Cabinet for approval 5/18, and announced that
future budgets would be based on internationally accepted
classification of fiscal revenues and expenditures. In its
last Article IV Consultation, the IMF urged the UAEG to
adopt these standards in an effort to increase transparency
and consistency in the UAE's budget process. Khirbash
acknowledged that previous UAE federal budgets -- based on
the antiquated chapter system -- allocated a set amount of
money to each ministry every fiscal year regardless of
their actual requirements (see reftel). The 2003 budget
onward, however, will apportion money to ministries based
on their programs, and require each ministry to justify
monies spent.
3. (C) The UAEG undertook budget reform at the urging of
the IMF and UNDP in December 2002, according to press
reports. The UAEG hired consulting firm KPMG to train
Finance Ministry officials on internationally accepted
accounting guidelines, and assist the Ministry to prepare
the 2003 federal budget. In February 2003, the Finance
Ministry requested the other ministries to forward a
"performance-based" budget taking into consideration
upcoming programs during the fiscal year. UNDP also held a
number of workshops to train officials from the other
ministries and federal institutions on how best to develop
such a budget. The final phase will require the UAEG to
pass legislation codifying the new budget process.
Khirbash estimates that it will take another six to eight
months to complete the entire shift from the old budget
system, and may take up to three years to work out all of
the kinks.
4. (C) Comment: The lack of reliable, timely, and complete
fiscal data for the UAE hampers economic analysis, and
paints an inaccurate picture of the health of the economy.
UAE fiscal data has suffered from incomplete coverage of
fiscal accounts (such as investment income from ADIA's
assets),off-budget activities, information on financing
the budget, and double counting of some government
activities. Many expenditures are omitted from the budget,
including transfers from Abu Dhabi to the northern emirates
as well as aid transfers abroad. Despite Khirbash's
announcement, we're skeptical that the UAEG will completely
open its books and reveal such sensitive information, but
any modification to the UAEG bookkeeping in-line with IMF
recommendations would be an improvement. End comment.
Albright
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB, NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA
DOJ FOR T. GREENBERG
COMMERCE PASS TO C. LOUSTAUNAU
TREASURY PASS FEDERAL RESERVE
NSC FOR J. MYERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2008
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV PGOV TC
SUBJECT: GREATER TRANSPARENCY FOR THE UAE BUDGET IN-LINE
WITH IMF RECOMMENDATIONS
REF: ABU DHABI 526
1. (U) Classified by Charge d'Affaires Richard A. Albright
for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).
2. (C) UAE Minister of State for Finance Dr. Mohammed
Khalfan Khirbash forwarded the 2003-2005 federal budgets to
the UAE Cabinet for approval 5/18, and announced that
future budgets would be based on internationally accepted
classification of fiscal revenues and expenditures. In its
last Article IV Consultation, the IMF urged the UAEG to
adopt these standards in an effort to increase transparency
and consistency in the UAE's budget process. Khirbash
acknowledged that previous UAE federal budgets -- based on
the antiquated chapter system -- allocated a set amount of
money to each ministry every fiscal year regardless of
their actual requirements (see reftel). The 2003 budget
onward, however, will apportion money to ministries based
on their programs, and require each ministry to justify
monies spent.
3. (C) The UAEG undertook budget reform at the urging of
the IMF and UNDP in December 2002, according to press
reports. The UAEG hired consulting firm KPMG to train
Finance Ministry officials on internationally accepted
accounting guidelines, and assist the Ministry to prepare
the 2003 federal budget. In February 2003, the Finance
Ministry requested the other ministries to forward a
"performance-based" budget taking into consideration
upcoming programs during the fiscal year. UNDP also held a
number of workshops to train officials from the other
ministries and federal institutions on how best to develop
such a budget. The final phase will require the UAEG to
pass legislation codifying the new budget process.
Khirbash estimates that it will take another six to eight
months to complete the entire shift from the old budget
system, and may take up to three years to work out all of
the kinks.
4. (C) Comment: The lack of reliable, timely, and complete
fiscal data for the UAE hampers economic analysis, and
paints an inaccurate picture of the health of the economy.
UAE fiscal data has suffered from incomplete coverage of
fiscal accounts (such as investment income from ADIA's
assets),off-budget activities, information on financing
the budget, and double counting of some government
activities. Many expenditures are omitted from the budget,
including transfers from Abu Dhabi to the northern emirates
as well as aid transfers abroad. Despite Khirbash's
announcement, we're skeptical that the UAEG will completely
open its books and reveal such sensitive information, but
any modification to the UAEG bookkeeping in-line with IMF
recommendations would be an improvement. End comment.
Albright