قياس كفاءة الإنفاق العام فى مصر ومقترحات للأرتقاء بها /Measuring the Efficiency of Public Spending in Egypt With Suggestions for its Improvement

Abstract

يعد الإنفاق العام أحد الأدوات الأساسية للسياسة المالية، والتى يمكن من خلالها التأثير على مستويات الطلب الكلى، ومن ثم على النمو، والتشغيل، والدخل القومى، ونمط توزيعه. وفى ظل محدودية الموارد المتاحة لذلك الإنفاق، يصبح من الضرورى التأكد من كفاءة إنفاق تلك الموارد واستغلالها الاستغلال الأمثل. وبالرغم من تعدد الدراسات التى تصدت لمهمة قياس كفاءة الإنفاق العام فى العديد من دول العالم، إلا أن هذه الدراسات تكاد تكون غائبة فى مصر. ومن هنا، تبرز أهمية هذه الدراسة التى سعت لقياس كفاءة الإنفاق العام فى مصر، وذلك بهدف رصد وتتبع مستويات تلك الكفاءة فى الفترة من 2000/2001 حتى 2011/2012، وتحليل التغيرات التى مرت بها والوقوف على أسبابها وأهم العوامل المؤثرة فيها.

Public spending is an important tool of fiscal policy. It can affect aggregate demand levels, with consequent impacts on economic growth, employment, national income and its distribution. Given the scarcity of public resources, it is crucial to ensure the efficiency of their expenditure, as well their optimal use. This study aims to measure the efficiency of public spending in Egypt during the period 2000/2001-2011/2012. Efficiency levels and their changes over time are determined using a widely applied technique with some amendments to suit the conditions of data availability in Egypt .The analysis is extended so as to identify the factors behind the changes in efficiency levels. Our empirical analysis showed that the efficiency level of public spending tended to decline throughout the period of study, though this period witnessed considerable increases in gross public spending in constant prices. It is, therefore, argued that the increase of public spending doesn't necessarily lead to improved levels of efficiency, if unaccompanied with measures aiming specifically at improving efficiency. Hence it is necessary that changes in public spending and measures for enhancing its efficiency should go hand in hand. The study proposed that increasing the efficiency of public spending should include measures for fighting corruption, tightening control over the performance of government agencies, looking for the best intervention mix to spend on various items and activities in each sector, and measures for improving political stability and security levels.