Seminars, Webinars, & High-level Events
Webinar on How to Assess Fiscal Risks from State-Owned Enterprises
April 15, 2025
The International Monetary Fund-Middle East Center for Economics and Finance (IMF-CEF) and the Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) held a joint webinar titled "How to Assess Fiscal Risks from State-Owned Enterprises" on Tuesday 15th of April 2025. Moez Souissi, Deputy Director of the CEF, delivered the opening remarks, and Rashid Sbia, Senior Economist, moderated the session. Matthew Quillinan, Technical Assistance Advisor at FAD, presented an overview of an IMF tool designed to assess fiscal risks associated with State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
The presentation highlighted that the scale and operations of SOEs can pose significant fiscal risks for governments. In some countries, SOEs number in the thousands and rank among the largest corporations, accounting for a third or more of the top firms in several emerging markets. Many operate with persistent losses and hold substantial liabilities. In the event of adverse shocks or financial distress, SOEs could impact government budgets or balance sheets through various transmission channels. Mr. Quillinan introduced the newly developed SOE risk assessment tool, which supports authorities in evaluating the financial health and resilience of their SOEs. As part of the IMF’s broader Fiscal Risk Toolkit, the tool provides insights into potential transfers between SOEs and the budget as well as financing requirements, offering valuable input for annual budgeting and medium-term fiscal planning.
Following the presentation, the floor was opened for a Q&A session with a diverse audience from the Arab world, comprised of public sector officials, academics, and representatives of the business community, civil society, and other international organizations.
