There is broad agreement on the appropriateness of the budget deficit target. The government aims to strengthen expenditure control and efficiency, at the national and at subnational levels, to achieve a reduction in the tax burden while cutting the fiscal deficit. The IMF staff suggested...

This paper examines the Annual Progress Report (APR) on Rwanda’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). The 2004 APR is an important progress marker in Rwanda’s long-term vision to reduce the proportion of Rwandans living below the poverty line from 60 percent to 25 percent and...

This paper examines the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) for Mali. The PRSP is an expression of the government’s desire to engage in development activity that is more intense, more organized, more consensus-based, and more effective, and capable of bringing about lasting poverty...

To stimulate private sector credit expansions in Pakistan, the monetary policy has been accommodative while financial sector reforms have brought about a lowering of intermediation costs and bank spreads. Consequently, the weighted average lending rates have declined from 14.6 percent in June...

The Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) on Burkina Faso focus on recapitulation of major long-term development. To improve the identification and targeting of the major public actions that contribute to combating poverty, the government has decided to prepare a Priority Action Program...

The government of Burundi undertook to prepare the first Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Framework (GPRSF). The general framework for most economic and social development programs initiated by Burundi and its donors has been established. A general balance sheet of performance has also been...

The Poverty Reduction Action Plan (PARP) 2011–14 is the medium-term strategy of the Government of Mozambique for putting into operation the Five-Year Government Program (2010–14). This medium-term instrument is part of the National Planning System (SNP) and is aligned with the...

This paper examines Kenya’s Poverty Reduction Strategy annual progress report. The Investment Program for the Economic Recovery Strategy is Kenya’s medium-term strategy to foster economic growth and reduce poverty. Poverty is defined as the inability to command resources and is a...