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McKinsey on Public Finance, March 2023

McKinsey on Public Finance, March 2023

McKinsey on Public Finance brings together our perspectives across all aspects of public finance from our proprietary research, global experience, and insights from leaders around the world. You’ll find insights on new, innovative approaches along with some of our most popular articles over the last several years—timeless pieces that continue to resonate with global public finance leaders.

Articles in this issue

Article

Closing the $30 trillion gap: Acting now to manage fiscal deficits during and beyond the COVID-19 crisis
– Countries can not only take immediate steps to create a credible debt story for funding the deficit but also consider a portfolio of interventions to ensure their longer-term financial sustainability.
Report - McKinsey Global Institute

The rise and rise of the global balance sheet: How productively are we using our wealth?
– Net worth has tripled since 2000, but the increase mainly reflects valuation gains in real assets, especially real estate, rather than investment in productive assets that drive our economies.
Article

Can e-commerce help customs agencies fix old problems?
– Transformations that aim to unlock more opportunities from e-commerce could also help customs agencies tackle issues they’ve long wrestled with, including revenue leakage and illicit goods flows.
Article

Using advanced analytics to improve performance in customs agencies
– Machine learning and other analytics tools can improve fraud detection and strategic workforce planning, among other potential benefits.
Article

Spending reviews: A more powerful approach to ensuring value in public finances
– Spending reviews have the potential to provide significant insight into budget allocations, enabling higher productivity and greater operational efficiency.
Article

How developing economies can get more out of their infrastructure budgets
– Governments in developing economies often lack the capacity to conduct thorough reviews of proposed capital projects. A streamlined approach can identify those ready for funding.
Article

Using public real estate to fuel a postpandemic recovery
– As deficits mount, governments can use their real estate holdings to create breathing room.
Report

Unlocking Africa’s $100 billion public-finance opportunity
– African governments face stagnant tax revenues and rising public debt. Yet they have wide scope to reform tax systems and improve spending efficiencies. Across Africa, public-finance transformation could deliver $100 billion a year in new revenues and savings.
Article

Target net zero: A journey to decarbonizing the public sector
– Government organizations can shape decarbonization policies but also help reduce global emissions by transforming their own operations and supply chains.
Article

Transforming government in a new era
– How engaged public servants, enabled by technology, can deliver better outcomes in a time of disruption.
Article

Accelerating data and analytics transformations in the public sector
– A data and analytics transformation is particularly hard for organizations in the public sector, given their scale and operating constraints. But some are making progress and offer valuable lessons.