São Tomé and Príncipe has maintained macroeconomic stability, despite many challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated long-standing socio-economic vulnerabilities, which were further compounded by persistent energy shortages and damages from the floods in end-2021. Growth declined in 2021...

This paper discusses Chad’s First Review Under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement, Request for Waivers of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria (PC), and Request for Modification of PC, and Augmentation of Access. Performance under the ECF supported program was broadly satisfactory...

This paper discusses Guinea’s Request for Debt Relief Under the Catastrophe Containment (CC) Window of the Catastrophe Containment and Relief (CCR) Trust. Since early 2014, Guinea has been experiencing an ongoing Ebola epidemic that has spread to several countries in the region. The immediate...

KEY ISSUES Background. The Gambian economy is facing urgent balance of payments needs triggered mostly by the impact of the regional Ebola outbreak on tourism. Although the country remains Ebola free, the regional outbreak is expected to cut by more than half tourism receipts for the 2014/15...

The Rwandan economy continues its robust growth, notwithstanding the challenging external environment, repeated shocks, and ongoing fiscal consolidation. Headline inflation decelerated sharply in recent months owing to appropriately tight monetary policy stance and favorable developments in food...

A political crisis in December 2023 resulted in another change in the government. In December 2023, the former Minister of Finance and Secretary of State of Treasury from the opposition-led government were arrested over corruption charges related to settlement of cross-arrears and NPLs of the...

On December 18, 2023, the explosion of a major fuel import and storage facility led to fuel shortages and new urgent financing needs. The blast caused 25 deaths and 457 injured as well as widespread fuel shortages, affecting transportation and economic activity. The relatively strong mining...

Over the last decade, Nigeria's growth has just about kept up with population dynamics. Poverty has increased, and food insecurity is rising. The government is constrained by low domestic revenue mobilization. Governance problems remain pervasive. The external environment-cost of...

Côte d'Ivoire is highly exposed to climate change through rising temperatures and sea levels as well as rain pattern changes. Economic vulnerabilities to climate change are mostly due to the country's heavy reliance on agriculture, and the concentration of industrial and services activity in...

Growth has been resilient to the shocks of recent years, but Togo is facing elevated food insecurity and terrorist attacks while development needs remain acute. Fiscal deficits and debt have increased, reversing the debt reduction achieved during the 2017-20 ECF-arrangement, eroding fiscal space...