International Studies Program Update
Volume 4, Number 1 (March 2004)

ISP Supports Jamaican Tax Review 2004
In July 2003, the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies was awarded a contract by the Jamaican Ministry of Finance to engage in an in-depth review of Jamaica’s tax structure. Professor Sally Wallace is the study’s Chief of Party; other AYSPS faculty taking part in the review include Dean Roy Bahl and Professors James Alm, Richard Bird, Kelly Edmiston, Mark Rider, Felix Rioja, David Sjoquist and Sam Skogstad.

The USAID Fiscal Reform Project
In July 2003, USAID’s Office of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT) initiated the USAID Fiscal Reform Project (formally known as Fiscal Reform in Support of Trade Liberalization) in order to strengthen USAID’s global capabilities in the area of fiscal policy. Under this project (led by DAI), a panel of fiscal policy experts from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and other renowned organizations are available to respond to requests from USAID operating units to provide training, assessments, in-house expertise, and technical assistance in all areas related to fiscal reform and to fiscal aspects of trade liberalization.

As part of the Fiscal Reform Project, AYSPS experts will engage in policy-oriented research and annually develop and deliver a week-long training program for USAID officials on a relevant fiscal policy issue. The first of these training programs, Fiscal Policy Reform: Principles and Trends will be held in April 2004. Although program participants are required to secure internal funding to support travel and lodging, the course will be offered free of charge to USAID officials.

Fiscal Policy Summer Training Courses 2004
The Andrew Young School's annual Fiscal Policy Summer Training Courses are designed to expose senior policy makers, government officials, and donor agency officers to crucial policy reform issues. Four courses will be offered during Summer 2004, notably: Tax Policy, Fiscal Analysis and Revenue Forecasting (June 21 -July 9, 2004); Fiscal Decentralization and Local Governance (July 12 -30, 2004); and Public Budgeting and Fiscal Management (August 2-13, 2004). New this year is the course Macroeconomic Policy Choices in the Global Economy, which will be offered from June 28-July 9, 2004. While the courses cover related topics, they are taught independently from each other; participants may choose to enroll in either one or more courses. Training will take place on the campus of Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. The application deadline for the program is June 15, 2004.

Conference: The Challenges of Tax Reform in a Global Economy
The International Studies Program will be hosting the international conference The Challenges of Tax Reform in a Global Economy, which will be held on May 24-25, 2004, in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The conference (which is invitation-only) seeks to bring together the world’s leading policy experts on the issue of tax reform.

Successful Intergovernmental Fiscal Reforms in Africa
In February 2004, the Cabinet of the United Republic of Tanzania adopted a proposal for the introduction of formula-based block grants in Tanzania. The reform measure –prepared by the Local Government Reform Programme with extensive technical support from the International Studies Program- will introduce a formula-based system of financing for local education and local health care programs starting with FY 2004/04. The Andrew Young School expects to continue its ongoing technical support to PO-RALG and the Ministry of Finance during ongoing implementation of the block grant reforms.

In addition, from September-December 2003, a team of decentralization experts from the Andrew Young School conducted a study of the system of intergovernmental fiscal transfers in Swaziland. The study is expected to lead to improvements in the allocation in recurrent and capital resources for urban governments in Swaziland.

Fiscal Decentralization Workshops in Indonesia, Guyana, Nepal and Uganda
During Fall 2003 and Spring 2004, teams from the International Studies Program delivered customized in-country workshops and training programs across the globe. In September 2003, Dr. Jamie Boex delivered a week-long fiscal decentralization workshop for decentralization experts of Uganda’s Local Government Finance Commission in Kampala, Uganda. During the same month, Professor Mark Rider conducted a one-week training program for staff members of Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance in Jakarta, Indonesia on the development of an annual intergovernmental fiscal review document. Similarly, fiscal decentralization workshops were developed and delivered in Georgetown, Guyana (by Professor Mark Rider and Mr. Andrey Timofeev) and in Kathmandu, Nepal, for Nepal’s Local Bodies Fiscal Commission (by Professor Jamie Boex and Dr. Javier Arze) in January 2004.

Capacity Building and Technical Support for Decentralization Reform in Indonesia
In order to provide technical support to the decentralization process in Indonesia, USAID/Jakarta awarded a Task Order to a combined GSU-PADCO Team under the Sustainable Urban Management (SUM) IQC. The overall objective of the Task Order is to support successful implementation of decentralization reforms in Indonesia.

Also, as a continuation of USAID/Indonesia's regional capacity building program, the U.S. Agency for International Development continues to support six Indonesian students as they pursue their doctorate in Economics at the Andrew Young School. These students graduated with MA degrees in 2002 and 2003 along with over 50 other Indonesian students who were a part of the Indonesian Masters Program, and were selected to further their studies at GSU and complete their PhDs.

More Information
For more information on the International Studies Program or its activities, please visit our website at http://isp-aysps.gsu.edu or contact Mr. Paul Benson at paulbenson@gsu.edu.

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