ESCWA Publication: E/ESCWA/CL3.SEP/2024/TP.4
Country: State of Kuwait
Publication Type: Reports & studies
Cluster: Shared Economic Prosperity
Focus Area: Debt and fiscal policy, Financing for development, Future of employment
Initiatives: Public finance and inclusive fiscal policy, Social Expenditure Monitor for Arab States, Arab Financing for Development Scorecard, Arab Financing for Development Gateway, Job creation
SDGs: Agenda 2030, Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being, Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Keywords: Arts, Culture, Educational policy, Employment creation, Environmental protection, Government spending policy, Health economics, Household expenditures, Kuwait, Labour market, National budgets, Public expenditures, Public finance, Recommendations, Social policy, Social security, Sports, Target population, Technical cooperation
Social spending, expenditure efficiency and fiscal sustainability: Strategies to rebalance the Kuwait budget
January 2025
The present report entitled "Social spending, expenditure efficiency and fiscal sustainability: strategies to rebalance the Kuwait budget" provides a critical analysis of public spending and mobilization of non-oil revenues in Kuwait, highlighting inefficiencies that risk fiscal sustainability. A heavy reliance on natural resources, combined with slow economic diversification and declining non-oil revenues, poses challenges to advancing the Kuwaiti economy and building fiscal space.
The report introduces the Social Expenditure Monitor framework, a tool designed to assess and optimize the efficiency, equity and effectiveness of social spending. It identifies major inefficiencies in resource allocations, including in universal public transfers, and outlines actionable strategies to better allocate resources. It also calls upon the Government to act swiftly to implement reforms to optimize mobilization of non-oil revenues and improve efficiency in use of public resources, so as to secure the country's financial future and maintain its social welfare commitments.
Related content
Debt and fiscal policy
, Financing for development
, Future of employment
,
The present report entitled "Social spending, expenditure efficiency and fiscal sustainability: strategies to rebalance the Kuwait budget" provides a critical analysis of public spending and mobilization of non-oil revenues in Kuwait, highlighting inefficiencies that risk fiscal sustainability. A heavy reliance on natural resources, combined with slow economic diversification and declining non-oil revenues, poses challenges to advancing the Kuwaiti economy and building fiscal space.
The report introduces the Social Expenditure Monitor framework, a tool designed to assess and optimize the efficiency, equity and effectiveness of social spending. It identifies major inefficiencies in resource allocations, including in universal public transfers, and outlines actionable strategies to better allocate resources. It also calls upon the Government to act swiftly to implement reforms to optimize mobilization of non-oil revenues and improve efficiency in use of public resources, so as to secure the country's financial future and maintain its social welfare commitments.
