Fiscal Federalism in Myanmar

OVERVIEW

Fiscal Federalism in Myanmar is a publicly available curriculum to support Myanmar’s peace process and national dialogue towards developing a democratic federal system of government.

This resource kit consists of six modules on fiscal federalism. These modules analyze current intergovernmental fiscal arrangements in Myanmar and core economic building blocks for fiscal federalism; such as revenue sharing, tax harmonization, transfers and grants, and equalization. It unpacks other central issues in the peace process, including natural resources and fiscal arrangements.

The curriculum seeks to address identified gaps in current policy discourses on how to build a federal system. The approach aims to complement comparative federalism teachings, while grounding debates in Myanmar’s political and legal context, and deepening knowledge of the necessary intergovernmental arrangements to strengthen subnational government structures in a federal democratic system. It draws on a range of research and evidence generated by The Asia Foundation with Myanmar partners.

This series was developed by key authors: Professor Paul A. R. Hobson, with The Asia Foundation’s Matthew Arnold, Nicola Williams, Lea Lybecker, and Kyaw Myo Oo.

The production of the curriculum is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of The Asia Foundation and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

The Fiscal Federalism in Myanmar Curriculum includes the following products:

• Six modules with slides
• A workbook for participants
• Facilitator’s notes for trainers

All resources are available in English, Myanmar, Shan, Kachin, and Karen languages.

The Fiscal Federalism modules include the following:

1. Fiscal Federalism Introduction
2. Decentralization, Revenue Transfers, and Social Development
3. Fiscal Federalism and Equalization
4. Fiscal Federalism and Natural Resources
5. Public Infrastructure, Public Services, and Human Capital
6. Fiscal Federalism and Myanmar’s Peace Negotiations