This paper discusses Mali’s Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). The economy is recovering and inflationary pressures have abated. After a 0.4 percent GDP decline in 2012, Mali’s economy is on the mend. The improvement in the security...

The Greek economy showed strength supported by solid gains in employment, substantial real wage increases, low interest rates, and rapid credit expansion. Executive Directors appreciated the performance of the banking system and welcomed the Bank of Greece’s efforts to strengthen...

Burundi is in great need of investment in infrastructure, but fiscal constraints leave little room for additional public spending. Despite this initial recovery, Burundi has yet to rebuild its pre-civil war level of public capital stock. Improving the business climate is one of the keys to...

The staff report for the Fourth and Fifth Reviews Under the Stand-By Arrangement and Request for Waiver of Applicability discusses Peru’s economic performance. Peru’s financial markets have only been marginally affected by recent developments in emerging markets. Although further...

In this study, owing to the global financial crisis, a Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) for the Dominican Republic was approved. The aim is to limit the procyclical policies in the short-term and discussions focused on policies necessary to ensure that the end-2011 and 2011 targets are observed....

The staff report for the 2007 Article IV Consultation on the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) explains economic performance. Growth is robust and increasingly reliant on large export-oriented mining and hydropower projects. The economic outlook is promising, but the outcome clearly...

The Swazi economy has continued to register sluggish economic activity even as rising Southern African Customs Union revenue contributed to a large fiscal surplus and accumulation of international reserves. The unchecked growth of insufficiently regulated saving and credit cooperatives poses...

Kenya’s economy is bouncing back following multiple shocks between 2008 and 2009. The program targets a gradual reduction in the central government primary balance through tax reform and strict control of current spending to bring the debt-to-GDP ratio below 45 percent at the end of the...

The 2006 Article IV consultation underlies policy issues, including fiscal policy, monetary policy, and structural issues of the Republic of Croatia. Although bank restructuring and privatization have strengthened the financial sector, strong credit expansion and foreign exchange-induced credit...

Bank financial soundness indicators are solid, with high levels of capitalization and low nonperforming loan rates. Among other measures, they include broadening of the tax base, changes to dividend taxation, an increase in the value-added tax, lower personal and corporate income tax rates, and...