This 2004 Article IV Consultation for San Marino reports that the economy has slowed considerably since 2000 with the fading of key competitive advantages that had contributed to past rapid development. To restore a positive net asset position and the ability to buffer adverse external shocks,...

This paper on the Baltic countries analyzes medium-term fiscal issues related to European Union (EU) and NATO accession. The paper supports the Baltic authorities’ intention to aim at balancing their budgets over the economic cycle. The paper describes the Baltics’ current fiscal...

This Netherlands’s 2005 Article IV Consultation reports that raising participation and productivity are important for boosting the economy potential and reducing pressures on the public finances in the face of population aging. The authorities have implemented or are in the process of...

The staff report for the Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility on Georgia focuses on economic developments and policies. The fiscal situation deteriorated sharply in 2003, especially because of a weakening in expenditure management and in tax...

This paper examines Madagascar’s Sixth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Madagascar’s performance under the program in 2004 has been broadly satisfactory, particularly in light of the difficult economic environment that...

This paper presents key findings of the Ex Post Assessment of Longer-Term Program Engagement for Bolivia. Bolivia is a country that is perceived as having one of the best structural reform records in Latin America but experienced sluggish per capita growth, and made virtually no progress in...

This Statistical Appendix paper for the periods between 1996/97 and 2001/02 for Nepal discusses both nominal and real gross domestic product by sector; savings and investments; agricultural production and yields; Manufacturing Production Indices; energy consumption; tourism indicators; Consumer...

The staff report for the Sixth Review under the Stand-By Arrangement and Requests for Waiver of Performance Criteria on Bolivia highlights economic developments and preliminary macroeconomic framework. The economy is characterized by a number of vulnerabilities that require policy vigilance....

Following satisfactory economic and financial performance under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility-supported program, performance was mixed. Benin should pursue a prudent debt-management policy with the support of the newly created debt committee. Implementation of the structural reform...

This paper examines Mali’s 2001 Article IV Consultation, Third Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), Third Annual Program, and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria. Program implementation to date has been satisfactory, with all quantitative performance...