DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

2007 REPORT TO CONGRESS

Section 129 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, authorizes the establishment of 

a Department of the Treasury program to provide technical assistance to governments and central 

banks of developing or transitional countries. This legislation also requires Treasury to prepare 

and submit this report on the conduct of the Treasury International Affairs Technical Assistance 

program by Treasury’s Office of Technical Assistance (OTA).
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

2007 REPORT 7

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 8

Support for Post-Conflict Countries and Failed States 9

Anti-Terrorist Activities 10

Compelling Assistance Needs 11

Cooperation with the Millennium Challenge Corporation 12

CROSS-TEAM PROJECTS 13

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION 13

2007 COUNTRY-SPECIFIC HIGHLIGHTS 15

STRATEGIC PLAN 2006-2010 25

TABLE A - FISCAL YEAR 2007 BUDGET EXECUTION PLAN 27

TABLE B - FISCAL YEAR 2007 Non-TIATA Sources of Funding 31 
 1 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report covers the 2007 activities of the U.S. Treasury Department’s international technical 

assistance program, administered by the Office of Technical Assistance (OTA). It focuses on the 

results of projects financed by Treasury International Affairs Technical Assistance (TIATA) 

funds provided by Congress, as well as activities funded by other sources, and reviews new 

program developments since the previous annual report. The report describes the program’s 

mission, organizational structure, decision-making processes, and implementation methods. A 

special theme of this year’s report is the importance for overall aid effectiveness of building 

public financial management capacity in aid recipient countries. 

The purpose of Treasury’s technical assistance program is to promote sound public financial 

management, to improve regulatory oversight of financial institutions, and to strengthen financial 

systems against criminal, terrorist and corrupt practices. In working toward these goals, OTA 

supports the economic, foreign policy, and security objectives of the Treasury Department and

U.S. Government around the world. Treasury advisors serve in countries as diverse as Iraq, 

Liberia, Haiti and Honduras. The unifying element across these engagements is the recognition 

that strengthening institutions of financial governance is critical to security, stability and 

prosperity. In addition to information on individual projects, the main body of this report 

includes a section on OTA’s strategic objectives and the alignment between OTA activities on 

the ground and broader economic, AML/CFT and foreign policy priorities.

Treasury provides assistance in five core areas where it has specialized expertise and 

comparative advantage:

 Budget policy and administration;

 Tax policy and administration;

 Financial institutions policy and regulation;

 Government debt issuance and management; and

 Financial enforcement.

OTA works primarily with developing countries and countries making the transition to market 

economies. The program deploys resident or intermittent advisors who work with senior 

management and staff-level counterparts. Currently, OTA is conducting 53 resident projects and 

67 intermittent projects in 66 countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central 

and Eastern Europe, and the Former Soviet Union. 

OTA projects emphasize capacity building -- both human and systems -- through practical, 

sustained, on-the-job training. A specific project may last several years and entail collaboration 

on a number of initiatives, such as: 

 thinking through the trade-offs among policy choices;

 drafting improved laws and regulations to give effect to policy choices;

 strengthening management and administrative processes so that institutions perform more 
 2 

effectively; 

 helping governments develop the tools that will allow them to focus their attention and 

resources on those activities that are best suited to the public sector, while conducting

government business in ways that foster private economic activity. For example, a 

government debt market necessarily involves the public sector, but in order for the market to 

function well, government involvement must be conducted in a way that allows market 

forces and private activity to flourish.

OTA helps countries emerge from a variety of difficulties. Sometimes OTA acts as a firstresponder to countries emerging from conflict, as it did and continues to do in Afghanistan, 

Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq. In such cases, OTA assistance becomes part of the military-civilian 

effort to stabilize a country and re-establish civil society through the building of effective 

government financial systems. In other cases, OTA helps countries emerging from financial 

turmoil or burden. For example, in fiscal year 2007, OTA provided assistance to 17 Heavily 

Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) in various stages of the HIPC debt relief and financial reform 

process.

Tracking progress and achieving successful outcomes is a challenge for any organization that 

provides technical support but has no direct operational control. Yet making progress and 

achieving successful outcomes is the standard against which all assistance programs should be 

judged. OTA defines progress in terms of establishing strong partnerships that bring about 

change in laws, institutions, systems, processes, procedures, practices and technical capacity of 

counterpart governments; success is when counterparts no longer need our assistance and we 

move on. 

Regional and Country Projects

In total, OTA had projects in 78 countries (including those carried out under regional initiatives)

in 2007, representing $39 million. Of this total, 31 projects representing $22.3 million were 

financed either wholly or partly by TIATA funds. As for regional distribution, about a third of 

OTA projects are in Africa; a third in Latin America and the Caribbean; and a third throughout 

the rest of the world. Tables A and B provide additional data on OTA’s sources and uses of 

funding in 2007. 

OTA successfully completed and closed out nine projects in 2007 and initiated seven new 

projects. Regarding TIATA-funded activities, OTA completed six projects and initiated seven

projects in 2007. TIATA-funded projects were initiated in Latin America (Costa Rica, Latin 

America Regional), Africa (Mozambique, Niger, East Africa Regional) Asia (Vietnam), and the 

Near East and North Africa (Tunisia).

The following are illustrative examples of projects that made noteworthy progress in 2007 or, in 

some cases, did not live up to expectations. Additional information on specific projects appears 

in the main body of the report.

 Ghana. Collaboration between OTA’s government debt advisor and officials in Ghana 

resulted in that country’s debut $750 million Eurobond to market on September 27, 2007. 

This was the first sub-Saharan Euro bond in 30 years. The issue was very well received by 
 3 

investors and, if managed prudently, will be a major step toward Ghana having access to a 

broad array of financial instruments and markets. Such access will facilitate Ghana’s ability 

to finance its development program. 

Complementing this first project, OTA’s budget team is supporting Ghana’s efforts to 

develop and implement a framework for sound fiscal decentralization, thereby giving effect 

to provisions in Ghana’s constitution that have a strong decentralization focus. The 

framework provides a roadmap for the decentralization of functions, revenues, and required 

financial management capacity to support the orderly transfer of responsibilities from the 

central government to local levels.

 Afghanistan. In 2007, OTA’s financial enforcement team helped Afghanistan develop its 

financial intelligence unit (FIU), strengthen regulatory and enforcement ability, establish a 

cross-border currency declaration system, and participate more effectively in global and 

regional Anti-Money Laundering/Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) bodies. 

Evidence of progress includes the following: By end 2007, the Afghan FIU, FinTRACA, had 

over 200,000 suspicious transactions reports in its data base; over one hundred hawaladars 

(informal channel money senders) had been licensed; FinTRACA began receiving its first 

hawala transaction reports; and the first arrests for money laundering were made. 

 Costa Rica. In 2007, an OTA tax project showed a second year of remarkable, measurable 

results helping Costa Rica’s tax administration to enhance revenue collection through 

systems modernization and increased efficiency, and with no increase in tax rates. In 2006, 

16.9 billion colones ($34.6million) more were collected than in 2005, a 157 percent increase. 

In 2007, through September, local tax offices had collected 3.96 billion colones ($8.1 

million) more than planned, a 47 percent increase over the plan – a remarkable increase 

considering the improvements in 2006. The Costa Rica tax administration cites multiple 

recommendations made by the Tax project as the primary cause of these increases in 

collections from taxpayers who up until this project had avoided payment and whose 

accounts had gone delinquent. 

 Paraguay. OTA’s government debt team assisted Paraguay in changing the currency 

composition of domestic debt issuance from U.S. Dollars to 100% local currency, thereby 

completely removing foreign currency risk to the country’s domestic debt portfolio.

 Indonesia. In 2007, with the support of OTA’s government debt advisor, Indonesia’s 

Ministry of Finance developed and launched the country’s first primary dealer system for 

domestic government securities. The auction-based distribution system enables the market 

determination of interest rates, and provides liquidity to investors through market-making by 

well- capitalized and governed intermediaries. A related initiative introduced short-term 

Treasury Bills as a component of the Ministry’s domestic capital market development plan. 

The T-Bill program provides the government with a low cost funding instrument that can be 

valuable during periods of instability or crisis, when longer term instruments are not in 

demand. The T-Bill program also broadens the investor base for government securities by 

introducing a new class of securities for investors.

 Zambia. OTA Banking and Financial Services resident advisors assisted the Bank of Zambia 

(BoZ) in bank supervision, implementation of Basel II standards, development of risk based 
 4 

supervision prudential regulations, termination of failed bank receiverships, and the design of 

a deposit insurance law with accompanying policy and implementation procedures and 

regulations. 

Inevitably, a number of projects were suspended or terminated without achieving their original 

objectives. Projects can fall short of expectations for a variety of reasons – a difficult work 

environment, limited absorption capacity by recipients, a change in host-country leadership, 

difficulty in establishing a good working relationship between the advisor and his/her 

counterpart, a lack of commitment to reform, or reform fatigue. Sometimes deterioration in the 

broader bilateral relationship spills over into the assistance arena. Projects that did not progress 

or come to fruition in 2007 for one reason or another included the following.

 The Tax Team closed its project with the Namibia Inland Revenue Directorate after a year 

and a half. The project was designed to be comprehensive, with consulting provided in 

Strategic Planning, Audit, Enforced Collections, Returns and Payment Processing, Taxpayer 

Service and Education, Administrative Law, and Information Technology. However, a 

project review in late 2007 revealed that the Directorate -- characterized by able individuals 

beleaguered by high personnel vacancy rates and consequent severe understaffing, a crisis in 

its IT systems, and an inability to effect legislative change – was not able to assimilate the 

assistance offered. In closing the program, OTA offered to re-engage whenever the IRD is 

able to solve the infrastructural problems standing in the way of an effective program of 

technical assistance.

 In the fall of 2007, the Government of Bolivia unilaterally ended a project that was making 

considerable progress. OTA’s Government Debt team had provided assistance to the 

Ministry of Finance for the restructuring of domestic debt that leveled out the annual debt 

service requirements; reduced the roll-over (refinancing) and foreign currency risks in 

Bolivia’s dollar denominated debt portfolio; introduced new instruments for investors that 

helps deepen the market; and enhanced staff capacity for debt management, analysis, 

accounting and reporting. 

Key Program Developments

In addition to project-specific outcomes, there were certain developments in 2007 that were 

important for the overall program.

 In 2007, OTA and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) strengthened their ongoing 

collaboration. Of particular note, OTA was selected by MCC as the prime implementing 

agency for a two-year, $7.3M Threshold Country Plan project focusing on tax reform and 

customs modernization in São Tomé and Principe. This work began in November. This 

builds upon other collaborative efforts. Since 2005, OTA’s financial management expertise 

has been helpful to MCC in analyzing, evaluating, and monitoring prospective and on-going 

projects. OTA works as an implementer on MCC Threshold Country Programs in Malawi -

where a multidisciplinary team is working in the areas of budget, tax, financial enforcement, 

government debt, and banking – and in Paraguay where OTA is providing assistance in 

budget, debt, banking and financial enforcement.
 5 

 Over the course of 2007, OTA took steps aimed at strengthening the AML/CFT capacity of 

so-called FATF-style regional bodies (FSRBs), regional entities that work in collaboration 

with the global Financial Action Task Force, and seek to advance FATF objectives. With 

varying degrees of success, the FSRBs review compliance with international AML/CFT 

norms by countries in their region, and in that process can play a role in building AML/CFT 

capacity. OTA is working with several FSRBs to help them build the capacity to play this 

role effectively. In 2007, OTA provided assistance to FSRBs in South America (GAFISUD), 

West Africa (GIABA), and Eastern/Southern Africa (ESAAMLG). 

 In 2007 the Department of Defense invited agencies to collaborate in the creation of a new 

combatant command dedicated to Africa -- AFRICOM. Recognizing AFRICOM’s desire to 

support a range of security and stability related activities, OTA agreed to detail an official to 

work with AFRICOM on the financial sector capacity building aspects of security and 

stability. (This detail is not funded by TIATA sources.)
 6 

Public Financial Management and Aid Effectiveness

One of the central issues in development is aid effectiveness. What kinds of aid, 

and what approaches for providing aid best support development and help ensure 

that aid will be effective and sustained? 

Treasury’s experience is that technical assistance directed toward strengthening the 

financial management capacity of recipient governments is a vital complement to 

other forms of aid and a necessary element in overall aid effectiveness. Without 

financial management capacity the odds are low that aid recipients will capably 

manage and make good use of any assistance, whether financial or material. 

Strengthening debt management skills of a government reduces the likelihood of its 

falling back into unsustainable indebtedness. Increasing budget management and 

revenue generation capacity improves the likelihood that capital projects will be 

sustained with maintenance and upkeep. The absence of such tools and skills 

requires donor-funded maintenance, or the risk of seeing costly investments 

deteriorate. History is replete with cases of roads, schools, hospitals, air bases, debt 

relief, and other major development initiatives not being sustained by recipients. 

There is strong evidence, however, that financial management capacity can be 

improved with focused assistance, patience, and commitment to reform -- Poland, 

the Czech Republic, Ghana, South Africa and Costa Rica are such cases. But such 

capacity is still sorely lacking in many developing and transition countries. The 

main body of this report provides additional examples of progress in building the 

skills and systems necessary for short and long-term financial management success. 

Though improved public financial management does not guarantee the effectiveness 

of other forms of development assistance, its absence will mortgage the future 

dreams and expectations for sustained results. Strengthening government financial 

operations seldom produces headlines, but such advances are the foundation on 

which stable civil society is built. What public order and a fair justice system bring 

to the physical security of citizens, sound management of the public purse and 

effective oversight of financial institutions bring to the economic health and wellbeing of a country. 
 7 

2007 REPORT

PROGRAM ORIGINS, FUNDING AND MANAGEMENT

In 1991, Treasury established the Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) as the operational office 

through which it delivered financial technical assistance. Beginning with the initial appropriation 

from Congress in FY1999, Treasury created the TIATA program and expanded the reach of its 

technical assistance operations outside of its traditional base in Eastern Europe and the Former 

Soviet Union to include countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. It is in 

these four regions that Treasury now sees its primary responsibility for the future.

As the chart below indicates, TIATA appropriations have grown to be the single largest resource 

available to OTA for pursuing its mission. In addition to TIATA funding, OTA continues to 

receive SEED and FSA resources, although these latter resources have declined at an accelerated 

pace in recent years as the countries in these regions have become more self-sufficient and U.S. 

Government technical assistance less needed. TIATA funding can sometimes be used to co-fund 

projects with USAID, INL, and from other sources. OTA also receives funding through 

occasional supplemental appropriations. This funding, which has been used for countries such as 

Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, and Liberia, is of course available only as exceptional needs arise and is 

therefore not included in the chart below which focuses on “core” funding. Table B – provides 

Fiscal Year 2007 Non-TIATA Sources of Funding.

Department of Treasury Office of Technical Assistance

Changes in Funding FY99 - FY08

($ in millions)

$13.00

$9.50 $9.60 $10.65 $10.07

$3.55

$5.95 $5.41 $5.03 $4.68

$8.20

$10.78

$13.61 $11.29

$9.25

$8.20

$6.76

$6.09

$4.23

$2.91

$1.50

$1.50

$6.00

$6.39 $10.73

$18.89

$18.85

$19.80

$19.80 $22.80

$3.57

$1.86

$5.58

$3.92

$9.65

$3.53

$4.33

$9.14

$3.71

$11.20 $3.00

$1.25

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

FY99 FY00 FY01 FY02 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08

MEPI

AID, INL

TIATA

SEED

FSA

$26.27

$32.25

$37.17

$35.89

$41.68

$23.63

$34.7

9

$39.70

$41.59

$32.7

7
 8 

Among OTA’s five core assistance areas, the breakdown in terms of project funding in 2007 was 

as follows: Financial Enforcement 34%; Debt 21%; Budget 18%; Tax 14%; and 

Banking/Financial Institutions 13%. The chart below shows the allocation of OTA project 

funding by team.

2007 Budget Allocation By Team

Financial 

Enforcment, 

34%

Banking, 13% Tax, 14%

Debt, 21%

Budget, 18%

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

The many projects and initiatives that OTA pursues should be understood both in terms of their 

individual merit and in terms of their alignment with and support for broader strategic objectives. 

OTA’s points of reference for strategic objectives are the Treasury Department’s international 

economic, financial and AML/CFT policy priorities, as well as broader USG foreign policy and 

national security goals. To a substantial degree, OTA’s activities on the ground reflect an effort 

to give special attention to the following policy priorities:

 Support for post-conflict and failed states that are U.S. foreign policy/national security 

priorities. 

 Support for regions and countries that are especially important in the fight against terrorist 

financing and money laundering.

 Support for countries that have fallen deeply into poverty and where development assistance 

needs are compelling, notably in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Latin America, the 

Caribbean and Asia.

 Collaboration with other assistance providers, such as the Millennium Challenge 

Corporation, in an effort to leverage our and their efforts. 

It is not the case that literally every OTA project falls into one of the above categories, though 

most do. To the extent possible, OTA tries to be responsive to requests that are meritorious in 
 9 

terms of need for assistance and commitment to reform even if the country is not at the top of the 

U.S. foreign policy agenda today. This seems both right and prudent. A judicious investment 

today in a country that is weak and out of the foreign policy spotlight but trying to implement 

sound policies may help prevent that country from entering the spotlight tomorrow as a failed 

state requiring major investments. 

 

The following sections expand upon each of the above strategic objectives.

Support for Post-Conflict Countries and Failed-States

Over the years, OTA has been a first responder in many countries or regions emerging from 

military conflict and civil strife, or struggling to avoid collapse as a result of weak institutions of 

state. In 2007, OTA was active in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Haiti, Liberia and Bosnia. The 

following paragraphs elaborate on this experience.

Iraq

In 2007, about half a dozen (at times slightly more or less) OTA advisors worked in Baghdad 

providing support to Treasury’s Financial Attaché and engaging with Iraqis on budget execution, 

governmental accounting, bank supervision, bank restructuring, and electronic payments system. 

The primary focus of the OTA mission is on budget execution which requires obtaining and 

documenting consensus on investment budget execution policies and procedures; training Iraqis 

(central ministries and provincial governments) on investment budget execution; and training 

U.S. personnel deployed or deploying to Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs). In addition 

an electronic payments system connecting the Central Bank and other financial institutions was 

completed and is operational within Baghdad. With financial resources and support from State 

and DoD, OTA is trying to increase its technical assistance support by about twelve advisors. 

Afghanistan

Building on the previous year’s successful Paris Club debt agreement with several creditors, 

OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management assisted the Ministry of Finance in the 

review, negotiation, and execution of an agreement with Russia, Afghanistan’s major creditor, to 

receive immediate forgiveness on approximately $10.3 billion in debt that has not been serviced 

in many years. This agreement is expected to lead to further debt relief for Afghanistan in future 

years when the country reaches Completion Point under the HIPC initiative.

Kosovo

OTA placed a Budget Team advisor in Kosovo in July 2007. The objectives of the mission 

included introducing accounting standards consistent with International Public Sector 

Accounting Standards (IPSAS), introducing application of these standards, improving public 

procurement practices, developing the capacity for fiscal impact analysis of legislation, 

improving the external audit function of the office of Auditor General, and strengthening budget 

analysis and reporting capacity. As of the end of the year progress was good, although elections, 

the establishment of a new government (including the appointment of a new Minister of 

Economy and Finance), and issues of the country’s status all contributed to diverting attention 

from technical matters and toward broader national issues. 
 10 

Bosnia

As Chair of the Direct Tax Committee, the Tax team Resident Advisor in Bosnia, led the work to 

build support for new, harmonized, corporate and personal income tax laws. This effort has 

required liaison with international and local officials to review draft legislation and to harmonize 

conditions among entities and meet steadily with stakeholders such as business associations to 

solicit their views and enlist their support. The personal income tax and corporate tax laws were 

passed by the Bosnian parliament in early 2008, replacing a patchwork of laws, systems and 

rates that differed by canton and municipality, significantly improving consistency and fairness 

for taxpayers and moving the country closer to internationally recognized standards.

The OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management team assisted Bosnia as it prepared to 

issue frozen foreign currency bonds to extinguish a liability claim to its citizens for foreign 

currency deposits stolen prior to the war. Abruptly on 6 December 2007, the Republika Srpska

(RS) General Assembly passed legislation that provided for the RS Ministry of Finance to issue 

its own bonds directly to its citizens, circumventing issuance through the state. This was in 

direct conflict with the BiH Constitutional Court decision. The initial result of this action was to 

block further progress towards complying with the initial time deadline of 31 March 2008.

Liberia

OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management provided intermittent technical assistance in 

the preparation of the National Domestic Debt Resolution Strategy (still pending legislative 

approval), as well as providing guidance for an implementation plan for the strategy. Additional 

assistance addressed the early stages of the design and establishment of the Liberia Trust Fund. 

Once fully operational, this fund will be the primary vehicle for handling payments for 

restructured debt. Technical assistance also helped establish an appropriate database and process 

to verify and begin to pay valid domestic claims against the government.

Haiti

In 2007, a Terms of Reference (TOR) was signed between the U.S. Government and the 

Government of Haiti (GoH). With financing from the State Department’s International 

Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Section, OTA Financial Enforcement Advisors, in 

cooperation with AMEMB Haiti's Narcotics Affairs Section and Haitian Government 

counterparts, began development of a formal Work Plan. Advisors will assist the Haitian 

Government to develop a Financial Crimes Unit (FCU) and train its analysts, as well as 

prosecutors and judges. OTA Advisors will coordinate efforts with Advisors from the World 

Bank and a USAID-funded Canadian NGO, who are working on parallel projects, to avoid 

duplication of efforts and maximize efficacy. The project was met with enthusiastic support from 

Haitian President, René Préval.

Anti-Terrorist Activities

OTA is a participating member of the interagency Terrorist Finance Working Group, chaired by 

the Department of State. The Group supports the implementation by State of a training and 

technical assistance program to develop or enhance capacity of certain countries whose financial 

sectors have been used, or are vulnerable to being used, to finance terrorism.

In 2007, OTA continued to support anti money laundering and counter terrorist financing efforts 

with resident Financial Enforcement advisors in Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, the 
 11 

Philippines, Jordan, Montenegro, Namibia, Sri Lanka, and Zambia. OTA resident Financial 

Enforcement advisors also worked in FATF1-Style Regional Bodies, including GAFISUD in 

South America, and EAG2 in Eurasia, with proposals for GIABA in West Africa, and 

ESAAMLG, covering Eastern and Southern Africa. These regional bodies provide peer review 

and support to their member countries in meeting the FATF recommendations on anti-money 

laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). OTA conducted an 

assessment mission in Pakistan and anticipates placing a resident advisor there in summer 2008 

to provide technical assistance aimed at developing a robust AML/CFT regime with a focus on 

cross border controls with Afghanistan. This work will include coordination with DHS/ICE3 on 

the establishment of a Trade Transparency Unit to monitor flows of goods and cash.

Employing global TIATA funds, OTA Financial Enforcement advisors provided intermittent 

assistance and/or training during 2007 to the governments of Antigua, Botswana, Chile, Croatia, 

Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, 

Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Malawi, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Serbia, Seychelles, and South 

Africa, and to Kosovo. In addition, in cooperation with ESAAMLG and DHS/ICE and 

DHS/Customs Border Protection (DHS/CBP), OTA provided a four-day regional cross-border 

cash courier training in February 2007 for all fourteen ESAAMLG countries in Livingstone, 

Zambia. In September 2007, OTA and DHS provided this training to Customs and Law 

Enforcement Officers from GIABA member countries.

OTA’s Financial Enforcement projects are able to draw on experts from the other four OTA 

disciplines. Tax Policy and Administration advisors, working with Financial Enforcement 

advisors, provided training and technical assistance to gaming industry regulators in several 

countries Banking and Financial Services works with Financial Enforcement to create financial 

services regimes which are consistent with international standards. And, the Budget Policy and 

Management program works with Financial Enforcement in the areas of internal audit and 

fighting procurement fraud.

Compelling Assistance Needs

Examples of compelling assistance needs can be found in virtually every region of the globe. A 

substantial number of those countries are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Latin America and Asia have 

generally gone far in terms of achieving macroeconomic stability but still, with the exception of 

certain countries, have far go in terms of broad based poverty reduction. Accordingly, about one 

third of OTA’s core program (i.e., not counting exceptional supplemental funding) is devoted to 

Sub-Saharan Africa and slightly less than a third to Latin America and the Caribbean. In the past 

two years, OTA has increased its activities in East Asia, notably in Indonesia, where poverty 

remains widespread, and in Vietnam. 

Details on specific regional and country projects appear below and in the Executive Summary. 

 

1

FATF: Financial Action Task Force

2 EAG: Eurasian Group on Combatting Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Moscow)

3 DHS/ICE: Department of Homeland Security / Immigration and Customs Enforcement
 12 

$0.0

$1.0

$2.0

$3.0

$4.0

$5.0

$6.0

$7.0

Sub-Saharan Africa Asia Latin America & Carribean Middle East and North Africa

FY 2006 Budget Allocations by Region

Cooperation with the Millennium Challenge Corporation

During 2007, OTA continued to build on a mutually beneficial relationship with the Millennium 

Challenge Corporation (MCC) begun in 2005. OTA’s financial management expertise has been 

valuable to MCC in analyzing, evaluating, and monitoring prospective and on-going projects. 

Through an interagency agreement, MCC has been able to move its efforts by tapping the 

expertise of advisors from OTA’s Budget, Banking, Enforcement, and Debt Teams. 

2007 was a hallmark year for OTA's support to the Millennium Challenge Corporation in 

assessing banks as potential depository and payments and disbursement agents under the MCCCountry Compact. Five countries were visited including Lesotho, Mongolia, Morocco, 

Mozambique, and Tanzania. Namibia, Burkina Faso and possibly two other countries are 

scheduled for early-mid 2008. To date, the banks and banking systems of ten countries had 

undergone UST/OTA assessment for the MCC- Country Compact operations.

The success of OTA's support to the MCC has further expanded OTA’s scope of work under the 

2005 UST/OTA - MCC Interagency Agreement to include assessing the economic and financial 

feasibility of proposed projects/programs in line with the country assistance strategy under the 

MCC-Country Compact Agreement (MCC-CCA) including but not limited to: (i) financing 

components and flow of funds; (ii) access and bottlenecks to on-lending finance by eligible 

financial institutions and financially viable private enterprises; (iii) loan eligibility requirements; 

(iv) on-lending arrangements and Apex arrangements; (iv) project/program operational functions 

and responsibilities; and (v) monitoring and implementation arrangements. Namibia and Burkina 

Faso will be the first countries in 2008 to undergo the new MCC assessment requirements.

OTA has also continued to work as an implementer on MCC Threshold Country Programs 
 13 

(TCPs), notably in Malawi - where a multidisciplinary team is working in the areas of budget, 

tax, financial enforcement, government debt, and banking – Paraguay where OTA is 

implementing the financial enforcement component of that country’s TCP. OTA was selected by 

MCC as the prime implementer for a two-year, $7.3M Threshold Country Plan project focusing 

on tax reform and customs modernization in São Tomé and Principe, and began work in 

November. Financial Enforcement, which is carrying out the customs portion of the plan, is also 

conducting a separate anti money laundering project there. In addition, OTA continues to explore 

additional opportunities to support MCC’s efforts. Discussions are currently underway regarding 

potential engagements in Niger, and Tanzania.

CROSS-TEAM PROJECTS

One of OTA’s internal strategic objectives is to emphasize cross-team projects -- broad-based 

engagements that cover multiple aspects of public financial management and financial sector 

oversight within a given country, and that draw upon expertise from across OTA’s program. The 

objective is to take advantage of synergies across teams and to maximize impact. Historically 

this has been a proven approach for OTA, one that was the typical model in the 1990s in Central 

and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union where the USG assistance programs were more 

robustly funded. In 2006, OTA operated a number of multi-disciplinary programs, including: 

Zambia (with four resident advisors working in the areas of banking, enforcement, and 

government debt); Paraguay (with four resident advisors working in the areas of banking, 

enforcement, budget, and government debt); and Malawi (an MCC-funded engagement 

comprised of four residents and one intermittent advisor working in the areas of banking, budget, 

enforcement, tax, and government debt – with an additional resident advisor added in early 

2007).

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION

The most successful TA projects (those that produce significant beneficial and sustained change) 

are based on a thorough and accurate problem diagnosis that has the concurrence of the 

counterpart. In addition, the best projects have the potential to bring about change at the systems 

level (i.e. more than changes in processes or procedures). This is not to say that projects with 

more modest goals are not worthwhile. In some cases, any beneficial change that results in 

operational improvement is an important and valuable step forward.

Fiscal Year 2007 TIATA funds were used to support projects selected according to a detailed 

process informed by real, on-the-ground conditions in countries identified as potential recipients 

of Treasury technical assistance. OTA prepared an initial internal Fiscal Year 2007 financial plan 

comprised of summary information on projects proposed for funding. The proposals originated 

from a variety of sources, including foreign governments, U.S. embassies, USAID missions, 

assessment missions conducted by OTA advisors, and bilateral policy discussions. Proposals 

were compiled, vetted, and submitted by the managers of each of OTA’s five core disciplines for 

policy-level review. Special consideration was given to continuing projects that had 

demonstrated substantial results. (The Fiscal Year 2007 preliminary financial plan contained 

nearly 115 proposed projects with an estimated cost of $46.3 million, an amount well above the 

resources which later became available. This represented a growth of 35 projects and $17.7 

million over the preliminary Fiscal Year 2006 financial plan.)
 14 

In order to make best use of available funds, Treasury reached out to other USG sources and in 

some cases found partners that were committed to the project objectives and willing to provide 

co-financing in selected countries. In this way, Treasury was able to implement a technical 

assistance program larger than it could have undertaken solely on its own resources.

OTA then conducted an intensive internal selection process to identify projects with the greatest 

potential to result in capacity building and policy reform. These projects were selected for 

funding while the rest, though meriting serious consideration, were set aside due to a lack of 

resources. The final results of the project selection process are displayed in Table A, Fiscal Year 

2007 Budget Execution Plan. Seventy-two separate projects (compared with 59 in Fiscal Year 

2006) are grouped geographically or as global projects in the following categories: Sub-Saharan 

Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia.

In addition to country-specific projects, budgetary allocations were made for senior and regional 

advisors, global anti-terrorist activities, and global information technology assistance in support 

of combating financial crime, Financial Enforcement assessment missions, and cross-discipline 

regional missions.

The final version of the Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Execution Plan consists of $21.8 million 

TIATA funds (or a $2.4 million increase over the $19.4 million for Fiscal Year 2006) leveraged 

by an additional $456 thousand ($3.05 million less than in Fiscal Year 2006) contributed by 

USAID missions and others.
 15 

2007 COUNTRY-SPECIFIC HIGHLIGHTS

Africa

Algeria:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management assisted counterpart officials in the 

development of a modern financial information technology infrastructure. The improvements 

update and integrate systems used by Algeria’s Treasury, central depository, stock exchange 

and central bank, with the objective of increasing market transparency and reducing 

operational risk. GDIM also assisted in the development of a new capital market 

development strategy to combine public and private funding through the introduction of new 

classes of securities; with the goal of attracting more private capital and to diversify and 

sustain growth in the Algerian economy.

Ghana:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management assisted the Republic of Ghana as it 

became the first post-HIPC country to enter the international bond market. Ghana launched a 

10-year, $750 million benchmark that is first sub-Saharan sovereign bond issued over the last 

thirty years. The strategic objectives of the bond issue are to ensure the sustainability of 

Ghana’s overall financing portfolio, to ensure benchmark status and inclusion in an emerging 

market index, and to raise long-term capital for large scale infrastructure needs such as 

energy and roads. Ghana’s sovereign bond issue won two International Financing Review 

Roll of Honor awards: Best Emerging Market Bond and Best EEMEA Bond (a regional 

category). Ghana was also named the Best New Borrower by Euroweek, based upon a poll 

by bankers.

Kenya:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management assisted Kenyan officials in introducing a 

benchmark bond program as part of an overall strategy to improve market liquidity and 

efficiency. Complementary initiatives were begun to introduce government securities marketmaking activities, including an expanded capacity to carry out repurchase agreement 

transactions that will enable dealers to finance their market-making obligations.

Malawi:

 The U.S. impact and influence in Malawi has been highly successful and well received. 

Perhaps the most notable achievement for the country is that, through the help and assistance 

by the U.S. via a team of resident advisors in a variety of different areas, Malawi was able to 

achieve eligibility for MCC Compact Status on December 12, 2007. Under the auspices of 

the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) a resident advisor was detailed to the Reserve 

Bank of Malawi (RBM) to help improve the quality of the supervision of Malawi’s financial 

sector. The specific thresholds relating to the RBM included government effectiveness, 

control of corruption (which encompassed money laundering and terrorist financing), and 

regulatory quality. Great strides have also included: the beginning of a comprehensive bank 

examination to be concluded within the next few months; an Anti Money Laundering and 

Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Examination Manual developed and 

implemented; several (AML/CFT) training sessions conducted for the RBM examiners and

staff, as well as representatives from the financial sector including internal auditors; 
 16 

establishment of an FIU and to ensure consistency and appropriate interactions between the 

two agencies in their fight against AML/CFT; development of a comprehensive Risk Based 

Supervisory Examination Manual; and increased staffing levels at the RBM. The final phase 

of the project will include providing assistance in the annual reform update process to ensure 

sustainability in the future.

Mauritius:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management assisted in maintaining the investment 

grade bond ratings for Mauritius’ local currency and foreign currency obligations (Moody’s 

Investors Service Baa-1 and Baa-2 respectively), which had been placed on review for a 

possible downgrade. Moody’s was reassured that Mauritius credit quality is stable and the 

outlook bright for continued economic growth. Maintenance of the investment grade ratings 

reduces the country’s borrowing costs and, along with reforms in debt management practices, 

helps ensure that the country will continue to manage its debt burden in a timely manner. 

Mauritius graduated from the GDIM program in 2007.

Namibia:

 An OTA resident Financial Enforcement Advisor was placed in Namibia to continue work 

begun by an intermittent advisor to assist the FIU in reaching operational status and to 

increase the capacity of Namibian law enforcement in the area of financial crimes. The 

resident advisor assisted in finalizing implementing regulations for the AML legislation, 

provided training to the insurance, securities and bank regulatory agencies, and facilitated the 

acquisition of data base and case management software from the United Nations to prepare 

the FIU for operational status in July 2008. In April 2008, a comprehensive financial 

analytical training course will be provided to FIU, law enforcement, and regulatory 

personnel.

Niger:

 In Niger, the Budget Team supported government efforts to identify benchmarks against 

which to measure progress related to public sector expenditures. These efforts occurred in 

five "priority" ministries, including health and education. During the second year of the 

team's engagement, all five ministries had developed reasonable indicators, and the effort 

was being expanded government-wide. In addition, the Budget Team assisted the 

government in investigating means to develop an effectively operating inventory and asset 

management system (the government currently has little capacity to monitor or manage 

publicly-owned items and equipment). OTA is now helping the government identify funding

sources to launch a comprehensive inventory and asset management system reform program.

Nigeria:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management assisted Nigeria in further expanding the 

secondary market for Federal Government of Nigeria Bonds, through enhancements and new 

requirements for the primary dealer system which was initially introduced in 2006. The 

improvements have enhanced transparency and price discovery, resulting in greater liquidity 

for market makers and investors. Secondary market improvements have flowed through to 

the primary, or new issuance, market for government securities; enabling the government to 

regularly issue long maturity bonds (3, 5, and 10-year). The longer bonds better match the 

demand of investors, and provide reference rates for private issuers.
 17 

Rwanda:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management assisted in the development and phased 

introduction of an enhanced debt management program to support Rwanda’s first issuance of 

a government bond, and the country’s longer-term financial system development needs.

South Africa:

 The OTA Budget Team advisor in South Africa is helping the National Treasury improve 

monitoring of government performance, build a capacity for spending and program 

evaluation, and improve budget execution monitoring systems for Parliament. The main 

achievements include completing a framework for managing program performance 

information and developing an improved tool for analyzing budget execution

 OTA Financial Enforcement and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Directorate of 

Special Operations (DSO) provided financial investigative techniques training to over 160 

law enforcement and regulatory officials. In addition to the DSO, participants were from the 

Financial Intelligence Center, Special Investigations Unit, South Africa Reserve Bank, the 

NPA Asset Forfeiture Unit, and NPA Commercial Crimes Unit. OTA participated in a 

training program for thirty forensic investigators from the Special Investigations Unit, which 

is mandated to investigate official corruption, and funded presenters from the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who 

provided cross border cash courier training to fifty South African Customs and law

enforcement officials.

Tunisia:

 OTA Financial Enforcement placed a new resident advisor in Tunis at the African 

Development Bank (AFDB) to continue the work of her predecessor in providing anticorruption assistance. She is joined by a new intermittent advisor who will provide expertise 

on helping establish and train officials of an anti-corruption office in the Bank. The advisors 

will also assist the Bank in developing a technical assistance strategy for enhancing member 

countries’ program accountability and transparency. The OTA program has been 

instrumental in assisting the Bank develop a Hotline and a “whistle blower” policy, as well as 

the means for their implementation.

Uganda:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management assisted Uganda in developing a 

comprehensive securities regulatory framework to help address the impacts of increased 

government securities market activity, increased off-shore capital inflows, and the 

introduction of new products in the market. The improved regulatory framework is designed 

to reduce the increasingly problematic volatility from these factors, as well as their negative 

impact on interest rates and foreign exchange rates.

Zambia:

 The Republic of Zambia graduated from the GDIM program in 2007. Over the two- year life 

of the program Zambia completed important initial steps for its first functioning Treasury. 

Creation of the Treasury enables the country to better forecast and manage cash balances, 

and consolidates multiple accounts into a Treasury Single Account System. A debt law 

covering external and domestic government debt issuances, including guarantees, was 

completed and awaits legislative approval. It sets out the procedures for debt creation, 

establishes debt limits, and is harmonized with the annual budget process. Zambia’s first debt 
 18 

strategy was developed, contributing to improved debt sustainability in the future.

 OTA Banking and Financial Services resident advisors provided guidance to the Bank of 

Zambia (BoZ) in Bank Supervision, implementation of Basel II, development of Risk Based 

Supervision prudential regulations, termination of failed bank receiverships, and the design 

of a Deposit Insurance law with accompanying policy and implementation procedures and 

regulations. Progress, although slow, has been steady and continues. BoZ counterparts, 

supported by senior management have displayed the political will to take actions 

recommended by OTA advisors. In the area of Deposit Insurance, the draft law has been 

written and is now undergoing vetting by the BoZ legal division for final approval and 

conversion into the proper legislative format. Parliamentary approval and implementation is 

expected during 2008. In 2007 the liquidation process was completed for three of ten banks 

in receivership. There remain seven banks, for of which will be liquidated during 2008. The 

remaining three banks are economically viable and the receivership process is not expected 

to be completed until 2009.The Bank of Zambia has requested continued OTA assistance in 

the areas of banking supervision - including an introduction to Islamic Banking - and 

resolving of the liquidations processes.

Asia and Near East

Egypt:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management continued to provide intermittent 

technical assistance to enhance secondary market trading in government securities. Although 

many positive improvements to the legal framework and operational infrastructure have been 

implemented in recent years, secondary market trading remains anemic. High banking 

system liquidity and strong risk aversion by banks have been a disincentive to trading; and 

the lack of an efficient, timely settlement and ownership registration process continues to be 

an obstacle to further secondary market development.

Indonesia:

 The Tax Team worked closely with the Director General-Tax at the Ministry of Finance 

throughout 2007 to review and develop standard operating procedures, user manuals, and a 

final business model document for all aspects of operation of a proposed “document 

processing center” (“DPC”) for tax returns and correspondence – from physical architecture 

to manual processes to technology issues. Establishment of a DPC is an important step in 

corruption control – depersonalizing the tax return submission process, centralizing 

processing in a high-production setting, and using IT-enabled rules. The Indonesian Ministry 

of Finance has been the driving force behind the program and, based on the experience of the 

pilot DPC which has just been put into operation, has a goal of establishing 19 DPCs 

throughout the country,.

Jordan:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management provided technical assistance to the 

Ministry of Finance as it developed its strategy to buy-back some of its bi-lateral debt 

obligations. Using money accrued through Jordan's privatization program, the objectives of 

the on-going negotiations are to reduce Jordan's external debt by 20%; reduce its currency 

exposure (Jordan's Dinar is fixed to the U.S. Dollar) to the Japanese Yen; shrink its annual 

interest payments; allow more budgetary resources for poverty reduction; and improve the 

Kingdom's credit standing to the point that it will reduce future debt service costs. Jordan 
 19 

graduated from the GDIM program in 2007.

 OTA Financial Enforcement and Justice's Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, 

Assistance and Training (OPDAT) jointly sponsored an AML/CFT conference in February 

for all relevant stakeholders in Jordan. With the passage of AML legislation, which went 

into effect in July, and assistance of the OTA advisor, the FIU began implementing the 

provisions of the AML legislation and moving toward a fully functional FIU. Training 

assistance to AML/CFT stakeholders included the Jordanian Insurance Commission, the 

Securities Commission, and personnel from the Bank of Jordan Supervision Department as 

they prepare to address their regulatory responsibilities under the legislation.

Oman:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management provided intermittent technical assistance 

to Omani authorities, primarily the Capital Market Authority, on developing the country’s 

very nascent debt market. Early work has focused on developing a framework for the 

securitization of assets; primarily research related to the Omani housing market and housing 

finance, and training about credit bureaus and credit rating agencies.

Philippines:

 OTA Financial Enforcement continued its resident project begun in 2005, providing 

mentoring to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (financial intelligence unit) of the 

Philippines and assisting in training Law Enforcement Agencies in anti-money laundering 

and the control of terrorist financing. OTA assisted in training approximately 1000 law 

enforcement personnel from over twenty-five agencies, and began assisting in the training of 

personnel of the new Anti-Terrorism Council. New procedures and training of Philippine 

border agencies, conducted by OTA and DHS on impeding bulk cash smuggling, resulted in 

increased seizures and arrests. The Philippines began working with Anti-Corruption 

authorities to target the laundering of proceeds by corrupt officials, and a number of high 

profile prosecutions were initiated, as well as several terrorist financing investigations. This 

program will be closed in 2008.

Sri Lanka:

 OTA Financial Enforcement continued to provide assistance resulting in the establishment of 

a basic administrative Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) within the Central Bank. The 

reporting regime for suspicious transactions and large cash transactions was implemented, 

and Central Bank compliance officers and regulators were trained. In collaboration with 

other donors, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, the World Bank, and the Asia/Pacific 

Group on Money Laundering, FIU analysts, prosecutors and financial crimes investigators 

were trained in the basic methods and techniques for conducting financial investigations. 

This project will be closed in 2008.

Vietnam:

 OTA Financial Enforcement conducted two weeks of Financial Investigative Techniques 

training in Hanoi, and worked with the resident representative of the UN Office of Drugs and 

Crime to plan further intermittent assistance in 2008 that will be co-sponsored and co-funded 

by the UN. The work in Vietnam is the first stage of OTA's planned Mekong regional 

initiative that will include intermittent assistance to Cambodia and Lao PDR in 2008.
 20 

Latin America and the Caribbean

 Latin America Regional. In 2007, OTA launched a Small Business Lending (SBL) Initiative 

in Latin America in partnership with the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) and the 

Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). The specific role of OTA is to identify 

legislative and regulatory obstacles to SBL in targeted Latin American countries and to 

recommend measures to ameliorate and overcome those obstacles. MIF is providing grants 

to selected banks in those countries to fund training in SBL techniques, while OPIC is 

providing guarantees to U.S. banks that provide funding to local banks as well as direct lines 

of credit to several local banks that have partial U.S. ownership. The roles of the three 

agencies are complementary. The SBL initiative was presented to the Latin American 

Bankers Association (FELABAN) in November, 2007. Wherever possible, OTA missions to 

Latin American under the SBL initiative will be timed to coincide with MIF and OPIC 

missions to the target countries in order to maximize synergy among the three agencies.

Caribbean:

 In October 2006 OTA – Tax conducted a training workshop for 13 participating countries of 

the Caribbean Organization of Tax Administrators (COTA) which covered management and 

planning issues, the results of OTA assessments of most of the countries’ tax administration 

practices, and the best way to proceed in the future. OTA and COTA reached a consensus 

that the best means of improving the identified practices was through improved management 

capabilities. As a result three additional management training workshops were conducted 

covering the areas of audit management, collection management, taxpayer (customer) service 

management, human resources management and general management (leadership and change 

management). At the final workshop in October 2007, each country was requested to 

complete an analysis of accomplishments. Eleven countries responded and an analysis of 

those comments indicated the following results:

o Three countries indicated that there was improved networking with other tax 

administrations in the region;

o One country indicated they had initiated a tax administration law;

o Seven countries stated that they had initiated a strategic planning process or had 

made improvements to their annual planning processes;

o Two countries have undertaken an overall reorganization of tax administration 

and partial reorganizations were taken to create or improve functions as follows: 

audit (4) and taxpayer service (3);

o Training of managers and employees had been accomplished in: audit (4), 

collection (2), taxpayer service (4), and general management training (1);

o Improved audit processes including improved audit selection had been achieved 

in 5 countries, and Jamaica developed an Audit Managers’ Guide based on the 

OTA audit advisor’s managers’ manual; and.

o Seven countries improved their collection processes and procedures, and five 

countries improved their taxpayer service processes and services.

Chile:

 OTA Financial Enforcement, in cooperation with the U.S. Justice Department's Office of 

Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), delivered a 
 21 

combined Financial Investigative Techniques/Mock Trial course to prosecutors within 

Chile’s Attorney General’s Office, the Public Ministry, the State Defense Counsel, and 

elements of Chile’s Investigative Police. In addition, as part of an outgrowth of the bilateral 

engagement with Chile, and under the auspices of GAFISUD, OTA conducted basic and 

advanced Gaming courses for GAFISUD's ten member countries. The Chilean 

Superintendent of Casinos graciously agreed to the courses being delivered in a regional 

format so that its benefits would reach the largest possible audience.

Costa Rica/Central America:

 One of the principal areas of concentration during 2007, as in 2006, was that of providing 

assistance in streamlining the collection of delinquent tax accounts. Among the innovations 

put in place was the use of the authority to initiate closure of businesses with protracted 

delinquencies. Use of this authority serves as a deterrent to businesses considering becoming 

delinquent. During the last six months of 2007, for example, this process was started for 63 

taxpayers. Seventeen of these either paid or agreed to installment agreements, several 

businesses were closed and several more remain pending. OTA further promoted initiation of 

a program of special concentration on monitoring the largest tax debtors. As a result of this 

concentration, of the 58 largest debtors, 26 either fully paid or went to installment 

agreements, the accounts of 28 were corrected and 4 were transferred to the courts for action. 

For these taxpayers, 1.07 billion Colones (over $2 million) were either collected or corrected 

for 96 % resolved. For the last half of 2007, the local tax offices collected over 50% -- about 

$8.5 million -- more in delinquent taxes than in the corresponding period of 2006.

 The Budget Team helped the Costa Rican government present its first-ever medium-term 

fiscal strategy as part of the 2008 national budget. This multi-year perspective in fiscal 

planning, expenditure, policy, and budgeting has helped the government to maintain fiscal 

stability by demonstrating the future implications of current policy decisions on revenues and 

expenditures. The Budget Team also helped the government of Costa Rica better measure the 

effectiveness of the use of public resources and the performance of government programs 

through the formation of a performance indicators database that includes 239 indicators for 

five priority sectors (agriculture, health, education, infrastructure, and security). The results 

of this project are evidenced by the improved quality of the performance indicators included 

in the government’s 2008 budget.

Dominican Republic:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management provided intermittent technical assistance 

to the National Treasury as it took its initial steps toward the development and 

implementation of a Treasury Single Account that will ultimately lead to more efficient cash 

management of government accounts (benchmarks have been defined and time frames for 

their completion have been set). Assistance to the Public Credit Office in the Ministry of 

Finance focused on institutional capacity building to satisfy recent reform legislation and 

regulations; including the design of a new organizational structure, identifying staffing and 

equipment requirements, training for new staff, and creation of an investor relations program. 

Successes in this intermittent project resulted in an OTA decision to continue technical 

assistance through the fielding of a resident advisor in 2008.

El Salvador:

 OTA Financial Enforcement assisted with the creation and implementation of a Tax 

Investigative Unit and an Internal Investigative Unit within the Executive Directorate of 
 22 

Revenue (DEI), the latter expected to combat internal and external crime and corruptionrelated matters, and Financial Investigative Techniques training was provided to new DEI 

and customs investigators. Implementation of an OTA-designed system for the secure 

exchange of sensitive anti money laundering information was completed.

Guatemala:

 The tax emphasis in Guatemala has been on administration of tax laws relative to the 

petroleum industry. Based on advice from the OTA advisor, Guatemala stood up a 

Petroleum Compliance Unit of the Tax Administration (“SAT”), designated the Special 

Operations Division. Concrete accomplishments included: SAT personnel were assigned to 

the terminals, and the Division prepared and delivered training to the terminal storage 

personnel. The training covered measuring tank volumes, customs regimes, petroleum 

product tax calculation, tax legal issues and risk and security issues associated with 

petroleum product terminal storage. Terminal measuring equipment was acquired and 

provided to the terminal personnel. Terminal inventories were measured for major petroleum 

importers. The Division makes periodic inspections of terminal activities and provides 

supervision of terminal personnel. The Division, through a formal exchange agreement with 

the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) obtains reviews and reconciles daily terminal 

inventory volumes. The Division developed training manuals for all aspects of petroleum 

product controls and taxation. SAT institutionalized the Division which is now responsible 

for all matters related to the control and taxation of petroleum product imports. The Division 

completed the review of import tax paid for the period June 05 through June 06 for all 

petroleum product importers. Division management visited the Guatemala City offices of 

each petroleum product importer to initiate a relationship intended to foster voluntary 

compliance.

 OTA Financial Enforcement and Guatemala’s Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT) 

signed a Terms of Reference to improve criminal enforcement of tax and customs laws. 

OTA coordinated the design and implementation of a Criminal Investigative Unit within the 

Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT); developed identification, investigation, and 

data analysis techniques for detecting criminal tax and customs violations; and developed 

awareness of criminal tax and customs violations on the part of those outside of SAT; and 

assisted the Criminal Investigative Unit in serving as a model of integrity.

Honduras:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management assisted the Ministry of Finance in 

improving its domestic bond issuance program by introducing new three- and five-year 

bonds in regular, market-based auctions. The provision of new instruments helps to meet the 

demands of investors and intermediaries, and reduces Honduras’ reliance on external 

financing. OTA also assisted in the development of a National Indebtedness Plan that is the 

basis for debt management policy that improves risk management and debt sustainability. 

Working with the Central Bank of Honduras, OTA helped introduce new regulations and 

procedures that govern the short-term interbank market with the objective of increasing 

transparency and liquidity, and reducing operational risks.

 Following up on a regional workshop including Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras, and 

based on Treasury recommendations regarding the form of organization and the numbers of 

staff required, the Honduran tax administration (DEI) also created a Petroleum Unit, which 

has begun activities aimed to take a path similar to that taken in Guatemala. The audit 

function in Honduras had been selecting taxpayers for audit manually with no automated 
 23 

records. By working with Audit, IT, and the Executive Director’s Office Treasury was able 

to secure the hiring of two programmers. As a result, presently all data on the electronically 

filed corporate returns became available in electronic format to all headquarters personnel 

and all auditors. Access to electronic data enables cases to be selected for audit based on 

objective criteria, thereby increasing the effectiveness of audits and vastly diminishing the 

role of human discretion from the selection process. Also, based on Treasury advice, the DEI 

agreed to change their tax returns to make them more “compliance” friendly. The 

combination of adequate tax return data and the ability through IT to access the data

represents the key to objective, risk-based selection. The U.S. Treasury assisted with the 

training and oversight of all incumbent auditors in auditing, including a new audit manual 

update. A new training course was developed by Treasury in conjunction with Honduras for 

new auditors, including an OJT component. Treasury also assisted in designing and 

implementing a Training Branch for the approximately 120 new auditors hired. For the first 

time Honduras now has a basic training program for auditors (including managers) along 

with an organizational structure to accommodate it. Instructor training was held with the 

majority of the auditing training conducted by Honduran personnel.

 OTA Financial Enforcement and Guatemala’s Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT) 

signed a Terms of Reference to improve criminal enforcement of tax and customs laws. 

OTA coordinated the design and implementation of a Criminal Investigative Unit within the 

Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT); developed identification, investigation, and 

data analysis techniques for detecting criminal tax and customs violations; and developed 

awareness of criminal tax and customs violations on the part of those outside of SAT; and 

assisted the Criminal Investigative Unit in serving as a model of integrity.

Nicaragua:

 OTA Government Debt Issuance and Management provided technical assistance the

Government of Nicaragua in its $1.3 billion cash buy-back of its commercial external debt. 

By reducing its external debt burdens, Nicaragua hopes to attract new foreign direct and 

portfolio investment. The outlook for future debt sustainability is also significantly improved.

 The Nicaragua Tax Administration presented its report on tax collections for year 2007, 

which includes voluntary payment plus all actions carried out by the Tax Administration 

such as examination, enforced collection and others. Total collections were C$12,864.5 

billion Cordobas in 2007, compared with C$11,009.70 billion in 2006: a 17 percent increase 

over 2006. Tax Team audit and collections advisors contributed to this success by assisting

the development and implementation of planning and management processes as well as 

providing guidance for improved technical skill levels in audit and enforced collections

operations.

Paraguay:

 OTA’s budget project made substantial progress in key areas in 2007, although substantial 

room for improvement remains. Work in 2007 focused on improving budget analysis, 

improving the tools for managing financial administration and enhancing the transparency of 

budget materials. OTA worked with the Paraguayan Finance Ministry to perform in-depth 

budget analyses of the Ministry of Justice and Work and the Secretary of Social Action, 

participated in an on-going re-engineering of the country’s financial management 

information system, developed a converter to link the country’s chart of accounts to the 

IMF’s system of government financial statistics, and implemented a budget department web 

site to make budget materials widely available. In these and other projects, the OTA worked 
 24 

closely with Finance Ministry staff, achieving a level of integration that was a key element of 

success. Work remaining to be done includes better integration of budget analysis into the 

formulation of the government’s budget, introducing tools such as a Treasury Single Account 

to support execution of the government’s budget, and improving the coordination and 

documentation of revenue estimation to enhance the predictability of the budget.

 OTA Financial Enforcement continued to provide Financial Investigative Techniques 

training to the Anti-Terrorism Investigators of the National Police and prosecutors of the 

Public Ministry, and to mentor the prosecutors in financial crimes cases related to money 

laundering, terrorist financing, and corruption. Pursuant to a request from Paraguay’s 

Superintendent of Insurance, OTA completed an assessment of the insurance sector and 

initiated a program for the GoP Superintendent of Banks to improve its anti-money 

laundering compliance and inspection system. A train-the-trainer system was developed for 

private bank functionaries to recognize suspicious activity related to money laundering and 

terrorist financing, and procedures, guidelines, manuals and training were provided for 

examiners.

 (Millennium Challenge) - OTA Financial Enforcement continued to work in coordination 

with a Department of Justice Resident Legal Advisor to focus OTA’s technical assistance on 

combating money laundering and financing of terrorism by groups operating in the tri-border 

area (Brazil-Argentina-Paraguay). OTA assisted in the creation, vetting, training, and 

mentoring of investigative units in the Customs and Tax Administrations, an Internal 

Investigations Unit in the Ministry of Finance, the Intellectual Property Rights Investigative 

Unit in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and the Financial Crimes Investigative Unit 

of the Anti-Drug Secretariat.
 25 

Annex 1: OTA Strategic Plan

STRATEGIC PLAN 2006-2010

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

OFFICE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Mission. The mission of the Treasury Department’s technical assistance program, managed by 

the Office of Technical Assistance (OTA), is to support the development of strong financial 

sectors and sound public financial management in countries where assistance is needed and there 

is a strong commitment to reform. 

OTA pursues this mission in support of the Treasury Department’s overall mission “to promote 

the conditions for prosperity and stability in the United States and encourage prosperity and 

stability in the rest of the world” as well as broader U.S. Government international objectives, 

such as increasing transparency and accountability, reducing corruption, and strengthening the 

development of market-based policies and practices.

Vision. OTA aims to build upon its reputation as a high-quality provider of comprehensive 

financial sector technical assistance and policy advice. It intends to be recognized as the provider 

of choice wherever its multi-disciplinary assistance model best addresses country needs and 

Treasury or U.S. Government objectives. 

The foundation of OTA’s program will continue to reside in five core disciplines – Banking and 

Financial Services; Budget Policy and Management; Financial Enforcement; Government Debt 

Issuance and Management; and Tax Policy and Administration, complemented by the ability to 

support other aspects of financial sector strengthening.

Values. 

 OTA will continue to place the highest priority on capacity building and developing 

country self-sufficiency.

 OTA exits countries when project objectives are accomplished or if country commitment 

to reform is not sustained.

 OTA program engagements are distinguished by flexibility, selectivity, and 

responsiveness.

 OTA recognizes that its core strength lies in the dedication, adaptability, and expertise of 

its advisors. 

Programmatic Goals

 Encourage depth of engagement and an integrated, multi-discipline approach. Where 

circumstances warrant, deeper, stronger, more comprehensive engagements may improve 

the prospects for material impact. 

 Encourage an approach that targets geographic regions and common financial or 

economic problems. Look for opportunities to place advisors in countries with common 

needs by virtue of location, financial structure (e.g. significant dependence upon donor 

revenue), or dislocations (e.g. highly affected by extractive industry income). 
 26 

 Provide specialized multi-discipline programs and rapid response teams to support key 

Treasury and U.S. Government priorities. React quickly to: needs in post-conflict/post 

crisis/failed state countries; opportunities to combat terrorist funding and corruption; 

requirements for access to financial services; country requirements to address revenue 

deficiency; and development of financial management information systems.

 Recruit, retain, and support a cadre of advisors that manifests OTA’s tradition of 

excellence. 

 

 Continue to strengthen OTA coordination within Treasury and with other parts of the 

U.S. Government. 

 Enhance awareness of Treasury’s technical assistance program.

 Ensure that OTA’s management systems fully support the achievement of our mission. 

For example, appropriate access to current financial data, timely human resources 

processes, program evaluation and management, and ability to be responsive to standard 

and ad hoc reporting requirements are essential to supporting OTA’s mission and advisor 

corps.

 

 Geographic Goals

The following points note broad geographic/regional goals. More detailed regional and 

country-specific objectives will be set out in annual implementation plans.

 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Recognize the acute need for assistance in this region, and 

seek opportunities to initiate or strengthen engagements with reform-minded countries.

 Broader Middle East/North Africa (BMENA). Seek opportunities to strengthen or initiate 

engagements in BMENA countries, with special attention to countries that are key to U.S. 

foreign policy priorities.

 Latin America and Caribbean. Given the importance of encouraging stability, growth, 

and friendly relations within this hemisphere, identify opportunities to support reformminded countries and sub-regions.

 Asia. Identify opportunities to engage in those countries where Treasury and the U.S. 

Government have substantial interests. 

Former Soviet Union/Central and Eastern Europe (FSU/CEE). Manage the phase-out and shift 

of OTA activities from the FSU and CEE to regions where needs are greater. As this process 

continues, support selected sub-regions and countries in the FSU/CEE area where significant 

needs still exist.
 27 

TABLE A - FISCAL YEAR 2007 BUDGET EXECUTION PLAN 

Treasury International Affairs Technical Assistance 

(TIATA)

Project Allocation from Fiscal Year 2007 Budget

Co-Financing TIATA

Team Advisor Category Amount Amount Total

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Botswana Tax Project Coordinator + Intermittent $0 $263,500 $263,500 

Ethiopia Tax Project Coordinator + Intermittent $0 $263,500 $263,500 

Ghana Budget Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Gov't Debt Resident $0 $272,000 $272,000 

Guinea Budget Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Madagascar Budget Resident $0 $467,500 $467,500 

Namibia Tax Intermittent $0 $263,500 $263,500 

Enforcement Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Niger Budget Intermittent $0 $212,500 $212,500 

Nigeria Gov't Debt Resident $285,078 $255,000 $540,078 

RegAFR Uganda Gov't Debt Resident $0 $450,500 $450,500 

Senegal (GIABA) Enforcement Resident $0 $467,500 $467,500 

South Africa Budget Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Zambia Banking Resident + Intermittent Support $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Enforcement Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Banking Resident + Intermittent Support $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Gov't Debt Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Subtotal Sub-Saharan Africa $285,078 $6,451,500 $6,736,578 
 28 

Table A - FISCAL YEAR 2007 BUDGET EXECUTION PLAN

Project Allocation from Fiscal Year 2007 Budget

Co-Financing TIATA

Team Advisor Category Amount Amount Total

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Algeria Gov't Debt Intermittent $0 $297,500.00 $297,500 

Banking Resident + Intermittent Support $0 $442,000.00 $442,000 

Jordan Enforcement Resident $171,321 $442,000.00 $613,321 

Tunisia (African Development Bank) Enforcement Resident $0 $442,000.00 $442,000 

Subtotal Middle East and North Africa $171,321 $1,623,500 $1,794,821 

Project Allocation from Fiscal Year 2007 Budget

Co-Financing TIATA

Team Advisor Category Amount Amount Total

ASIA

Afghanistan Banking Resident $0 $510,000.00 $510,000 

Philippines Enforcement Resident $0 $442,000.00 $442,000 

Sri Lanka Enforcement Resident $0 $442,000.00 $442,000 

Vietnam Multi-Team Mix $0 $510,000 $510,000 

Subtotal Asia $0 $1,904,000 $1,904,000 
 29 

Table A - FISCAL YEAR 2007 BUDGET EXECUTION PLAN 

Project Allocation from Fiscal Year 2007 Budget

Co-Financing TIATA

Team Advisor Category Amount Amount Total

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

Argentina (GAFISUD) Enforcement Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Bolivia Gov't Debt Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Costa Rica Tax Project Coordinator + Intermittent $0 $340,000 $340,000 

Budget Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Dominican Republic Tax Project Coordinator + Intermittent $0 $255,000 $255,000 

Guatemala Tax Intermittent $0 $255,000 $255,000 

Honduras Gov't Debt Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Tax Resident + Intermittent Support $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Jamaica Enforcement Intermittent $0 $127,500 $127,500 

Mexico Tax Intermittent $0 $170,000 $170,000 

Nicaragua Tax Project Coordinator + Intermittent $0 $212,500 $212,500 

Gov't Debt Resident $0 $255,000 $255,000 

Paraguay Gov't Debt Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Budget Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Banking Resident + Intermittent Support $0 $442,000 $442,000 

RegLAC (COTA) Tax Intermittent $0 $255,000 $255,000 

RegLAC (Money Services Program) Enforcement Intermittent $0 $212,500 $212,500 

Subtotal Latin America and Caribbean $0 $5,618,500 $5,618,500 
 30 

Table A - FISCAL YEAR 2007 BUDGET EXECUTION PLAN 

Project Allocation from Fiscal Year 2007 Budget

Co-Financing TIATA

Team Advisor Category Amount Amount Total

SENIOR AND REGIONAL ADVISORS

Warsaw, Poland Enforcement Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Cairo, Egypt Enforcement Resident $0 $442,000 $442,000 

Dubai, United Arab Emirates Gov't Debt Resident $0 $476,000.00 $476,000 

Banking Resident $0 $442,000.00 $442,000 

U.S.-based Banking Resident $0 $233,750 $233,750 

Budget Resident $0 $276,250 $276,250 

Budget Part-time $0 $148,750 $148,750 

Enforcement Resident $0 $255,000 $255,000 

Gov't Debt Resident $0 $297,500 $297,500 

Tax Resident $0 $510,000 $510,000 

Subtotal S/R Advisors $0 $3,523,250 $3,523,250 

OTHER FUNDED ACTIVITIES

Global (FIT Training) Enforcement Intermittent $0 $212,500.00 $212,500 

First Responders Initiative Multi-Team Mix $0 $42,500 $42,500 

Close Out (Budget) Budget n/a $0 $204,000 $204,000 

Close Out (Gov't Debt) Gov't Debt n/a $0 $187,000 $187,000 

Close Out (Enforcement) Enforcement n/a $0 $1,751,000 $1,751,000 

Close Out (Tax) Tax n/a $0 $170,000 $170,000 

Close Out (Banking) Banking n/a $0 $136,000 $136,000 

Subtotal Other $0 $2,703,000 $2,703,000 

GRAND TOTAL $456,399 $21,823,750 $22,280,149 
 31 

TABLE B - FISCAL YEAR 2007 Non-TIATA Sources of Funding 

Fiscal Year 2007

Transfer

Purpose Source Category Amount

TA to countries of Eastern Europe (SEED Act-funded) USAID 632(a) $4,230,000 

TA to countries of the Newly Independent States (FSA-funded) USAID 632(a) $5,200,000 

TA to Iraq under War On Terrorism Supplemental DOD 632 (a) $2,750,000 

TA to Gov't of Afghanistan USAID 632 (b) $1,387,540 

TA to Gov't of Paraguay under MCC Threshold Country Plan MCC 632 (b) $1,000,000 

TA to Gov't of Malawi under MCC Threshold Country Plan USAID 632 (b) $600,982 

Government Debt TA to Gov't of Liberia USAID 632 (a) $500,000 

Government Debt and Tax TA to Gov't of Nicaragua USAID 632 (a) $500,000 

Government Debt TA to Gov't of Nigeria USAID 632 (b) $285,078 

Government Debt TA to Gov't of Egypt USAID 632 (b) $200,000 

Financial Enforcement TA to Gov't of Jordan USAID 632 (b) $171,321 

Tax TA to Gov't of Tanzania Gov't of Tanzania n/a $98,987 

Financial Enforcement TA to Gov't of Mexico STATE/INL 632 (b) $80,000 

TOTAL $17,003,908