"In this paper, the authors describe South Africa's value added tax (VAT), showing that (1) the VAT is mildly regressive, and (2) it is an effective source of government revenue, compared with other tax instruments in South Africa. They evaluate the VAT in the context of other distortions in the...

This is the second volume of a study on the insights from a 12-country pilot program on public debt management and domestic government debt market development. The discussion of domestic government debt market development in this book uses a building block approach to gain insights into...

This paper pertains to the bond market development in Malaysia, and provides an overview of the market scenario in the country. Malaysia has been successful in developing the capital markets, particularly bond markets, in the recent past. Now, it faces the challenge of how to improve broader...

A strong legal framework that forms the basis for the activities of debt managers is crucial for enabling an effective public debt management function. This paper aims to complement discussions on the legal foundations of debt management by detecting and discussing essential elements that allow...

The government of Pakistan borrows in the domestic market through a range of instruments, and this market is a critical source of funding for both shorter-term cash management and longer-term deficit-financing. The government has taken actions over the past 18 months that have enhanced the...

"This paper re-emphasizes the link from structural policies to enhanced macroeconomic stabilization using a small structural model estimated on quarterly data for Macedonia and Slovakia over 1995-2007. The success of macroeconomic stabilization, typically in the hands of monetary policy, is not...

"This paper analyzes the process of institutional transformation in Bulgaria and assesses the extent to which it has established institutions and policies fostering domestic economic activity and integration into global markets. After a brief review of characteristics and achieved progress in...