This report summarizes the First Annual Progress Report on the Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy (PRGS) program. It assesses the status of the strategy implementation and monitoring mechanism, and emphasizes the need to face enormous development challenges and curb poverty and unemployment....

This report reviews the Joint Staff Assessment of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Annual Progress Report for The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. It summarizes the Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Program (SDPRP), which is the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper for...

In most developing countries, poverty is more widespread and severe in rural than in urban areas. The author reviews some important aspects of rural poverty and draws key implications for public policy. He presents a policy framework for reducing poverty, taking into account the functional...

Global food aid is considered a critical consumption smoothing mechanism in many countries. However, its record of stabilizing consumption has been mixed. This paper examines the cyclical properties of food aid with respect to food availability in recipient countries, with a view to assessing...

This paper discusses key findings of the Third Annual Progress Report (APR) on the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) for Guinea. The PRS implemented by the government since 2002 has the overall objective of reducing poverty significantly and sustainably, by increasing incomes and improving...

This Joint Staff Advisory Note provides IMF staff’s assessment of the Moldova authorities’ first Annual Evaluation Report (AER), which covers the period from late 2004 to early 2006. Broadly, the AER provides a candid assessment of the accomplishments and shortcomings of the past...

The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) prepared by the Burkinabè government forms the principal benchmark for all development actors, and reaffirms the urgency of attacking poverty from a structural perspective. It is the primary tool for coordination of all interventions and of public aid...

This Selected Issues paper on The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia highlights that accelerating private sector development is the key to increasing and sustaining growth, and providing employment opportunities to raise incomes. Private sector development remains in its infancy, reflecting...

This report describes the progress made in implementing the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) for Sierra Leone from June 2005 to May 2006. The improvement in the external sector has for the most part reflected a strong improvement in export performance, particularly for diamonds. Efficient...