Following the onset of the global economic crisis in 2008, SACU member countries have witnessed a significant growth slowdown, and a deterioration of their fiscal balances. This paper (i) assesses options for the design of the needed fiscal consolidation, and (ii) discussed medium-term fiscal...

The economy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands has experienced a strong recovery with a 5.2 percent growth in 2010 following strong improvement in the fisheries sector and a moderate recovery in exports. The financial sector remained focused on consumer lending and contributed little to...

The staff report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation on the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) focuses on economic developments and policies. Fiscal and structural reforms are needed for the FSM to achieve self-sufficiency. The large government sector will be increasingly unsustainable given...

This paper reviews Niger’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) Paper Progress Report. After more than two years of implementation, the PRS has truly become established as the overall framework for the various sectoral strategies in existence or being devised. Moreover, it has been used to...

This Selected Issues paper on the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) underlies economic development. Since independence, the FSM has been heavily dependent on assistance from the United States. With government expenditure of more than 60 percent of GDP, the private sector remains...

Fiscal decentralization is likely to entail a bias in the budget process toward higher public expenses and deficits. The paper reviews lessons drawn from the theoretical literature and international experience on the design of intergovernmental relations. The institutional setup should address...