Size of social expenditure

Egypt Social Expenditure Monitor (SEM) data are collected from yearly government budgets available from the Ministry of Finance, "Expenses by functional classification and overview", for various years (2010/2011-2022/2023). The data are compiled based on the ESCWA SEM methodology. The data are budget estimates as actual expenditures are not available. The real series is constructed by deflating the nominal series by the Consumer Price Index with base year 2019 (Source: WEO 2024).

*For Egypt, “2011” in the graph refers to fiscal year 2010/2011.

Iraq Social Expenditure Monitor (SEM) data are collected from yearly government budgets available from the Ministry of Finance, "The Federal General Budget Law", for various years (2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023). The data are compiled based on the ESCWA SEM methodology. The data are budget estimates as actual expenditures are not available. The real series is constructed by deflating the nominal series by the Consumer Price Index with base year 2019 (Source: WEO 2025).

Jordan has partnered with ESCWA to develop and implement the Social Expenditure Monitor (SEM). Jordan SEM data are compiled from the General Budget Law of Jordan, available from the General Budget Department, which provides central government expenditures, with detailed data provided by the Ministry of Finance for various years (2010-2024). The data are actual expenditures for the respective years, classified according to the ESCWA SEM methodology, which is tailored to the Jordan context as defined in the Jordan manual. The real series is constructed based on deflating the nominal series by the Consumer Price Index with base year 2018 (Source: WEO 2025).

Kuwait Social Expenditure Monitor (SEM) data are collected from yearly government budgets available from the Ministry of Finance, "The final account of the state's financial administration", for the fiscal years 2016/2017 to 2022/2023 inclusive, and from the "General State Budget" estimates for the fiscal years 2023/2024 to 2025/2026 inclusive. The data are compiled based on the ESCWA SEM methodology. The real series is constructed by deflating the nominal series by the Consumer Price Index with base year 2013 (Source: WEO 2025).

Lebanon Social Expenditure Monitor (SEM) data are collected from yearly government budgets available from the Ministry of Finance, "Budget Law", for multiple years (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024). The data are compiled based on the ESCWA SEM methodology. The data are budget estimates as the actual expenditures are not available. The real series is constructed by deflating the nominal series by the Consumer Price Index with base year 2013 (Source: WEO 2025).

Note 1: In the case of Lebanon, subsidies to fuel and electricity are treasury advances to the electricity authority of Lebanon which do not enter into public budgets from 2018 onwards. Therefore, for comparability reasons over the years, total public expenditure for Lebanon includes subsidies on fuel and electricity. Treasury advances for medicine subsidies are not captured in the monitor due to unavailability of data. 

Note 2: The Ministry of Finance website no longer includes the Budget Law document for 2021. 

Note 3: In 2024, the exchange rate was 89,550 LL/$. In 2022, the exchange rate was 10,083 LL/$; prior to that it was 1,507.7 LL/$.

Morocco Social Expenditure Monitor (SEM) data are collected from yearly government budgets available from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, "General Budget Expenditures: Volume 1/2/3", for multiple years (2018 and 2019). The data are compiled based on the ESCWA SEM methodology. The data are budget estimates as actual expenditures are not available. The real series is constructed by deflating the nominal series by the Consumer Price Index with base year 2017 (Source: WEO 2024).

Oman Social Expenditure Monitor (SEM) data are collected from yearly government budgets available from the Ministry of Finance, "State's Final Account", for multiple years (2010-2024). The data are compiled based on the ESCWA SEM methodology. The data on indicators and beneficiaries are budget actuals. The real series is constructed by deflating the nominal series by the Consumer Price Index with base year 2013 (Source: WEO 2025).

Sudan Social Expenditure Monitor (SEM) data are collected from yearly government budgets available from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, "Year Budget", for the years 2016 and 2021. The data are compiled based on the ESCWA SEM methodology. The data are budget estimates as actual expenditures are not available. The real series is constructed by deflating the nominal series by the Consumer Price Index with base year 2012 (Source: WEO 2024).

Tunisia has partnered with ESCWA to develop and implement the Social Expenditure (SEM). Tunisia’s SEM data is based on data received from Ministry of Finance from the Finance Law (Loi de Finances) for respective years (2014-2024). The data are actual expenditures for the respective years, classified according to the ESCWA SEM methodology, which is tailored to the Tunisia context as defined in the Tunisia manual. The real series is constructed on deflating the nominal series by the Consumer Price Index with base year 2016 (Source: WEO 2026).