This paper reviews the Interim Staff Report Under Intensified Surveillance for Jamaica. The authorities have reaffirmed their objective of balancing the budget in FY 2005/06, while recognizing that this now poses a greater challenge. The IMF staff now estimates that measures in the range of...

This paper discusses Uganda’s Sixth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), Request for Waiver of Performance Criteria, and Request for a Policy Support Instrument (PSI). Performance relative to the sixth and final PRGF review was...

The staff report for the Post-Program Monitoring Discussions on Jordan focuses on economic developments and policies. The macroeconomic policy mix included prudent budgetary management and a credit policy supportive of economic expansion. Monetary developments reflected the brisk growth in...

This 2005 Article IV Consultation highlights that Malta’s economic growth languished in 2004 for a fourth consecutive year. Slow growth reflected the weakness of, and increasing competition in, Malta’s export markets, as well as domestic factors. The slowdown had begun with shocks...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that following the near crisis in the first half of 2003, the authorities in Jamaica have succeeded over the past year in stabilizing the economy and restoring market confidence. The foreign exchange market stabilized in mid-2003, inflation has...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that economic growth in Yemen slowed in 2004 owing to a sharp contraction in the oil sector. Oil production declined by 5.9 percent, reflecting diminishing recovery from aging large oil fields as well as the absence of significant new discoveries....

This paper reviews Indonesia’s 2004 Article IV Consultation and Post-Program Monitoring Discussions. The Article IV consultation provided a timely opportunity to assess achievements under recent IMF arrangements and to take stock of remaining challenges. The discussions focused on...

This 2003 Article IV Consultation highlights that real GDP of Ukraine grew by more than 4½ percent in 2002, marking the third year of Ukraine’s economic expansion following the 1998/99 financial crisis. As in 2001, growth was not only supported by robust consumer spending, reflecting...

This paper reviews the Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) for the Union of the Comoros. The authorities’ program for 2005 is focused on macroeconomic stabilization. This is predicated on a consolidated budget entailing a domestic fiscal adjustment slightly above 3 percent of GDP. Monetary...

This paper presents Indonesia’s 2005 Article IV Consultation and Third Post-Program Monitoring discussions. The economic strategy has produced positive results over time. Economic growth has gained momentum year by year, inflation has been substantially reduced, and the external position...