Access to international markets plays a critical role in an economy's growth and development. Trade facilitation, the simplification, modernization, and harmonization of export and import processes has therefore emerged as an important issue for countries, as is reflected in the World Trade...

In 2015, Lao PDR is virtually unrecognizable from what it was just a decade ago. A more open, more outward trade landscape has transformed the country from a closed-off backwater into a fast-growing developing country, complete with coffee shops, restaurants, and billboards lining the streets of...

This paper reviews the alignment of the customs act of Jamaica to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and recommends changes where gaps are identified. In part II of this paper, the customs act is reviewed against each of the TFA technical measures, in order...

Improving Kosovo's export competitiveness can help to catalyze growth and reduce poverty. As a small economy, Kosovo will benefit from integration, both globally and regionally, to exploit scale economies from access to a larger market. Higher exports will not only contribute to growth and lower...

Authorities in East Asia Pacific (EAP) jurisdictions have adopted a battery of fiscal, monetary, and financial measures aimed at mitigating the unprecedented impacts of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the economy. This report discusses the quality of loan portfolios in the...

Long COVID: Scars and Opportunity. The title of this report has two meanings. First, that the disease will leave in its wake a durably damaged economy. Second, that the disease is not leaving any time soon and may be here to stay. This duality reflects the two themes of this Update. In the near...

Amidst a fragile recovery, three clouds are gathering over the economic horizon: US inflation could provoke financial tightening, China's structural slowdown and zero-COVID-19 policy could dampen regional exports, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine could disrupt food and fuel supplies,...

Growth in the developing East Asia and Pacific region slowed sharply in 2020Q1 because of the negative impact of the Covid-19 on economic activity. The decline has been broad-based reflecting the interconnectedness of the EAP economies and reverberations from the global economy as the virus...

The Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Center (PFTAC) produced 'A Public Financial Management Roadmap for Forum Island Countries' ("The Roadmap") in 2009 (PFTAC 2010). This document was adopted at the Forum Economic Ministers' Meeting (FEMM) of the Pacific Island Forum as an agreed approach...