Real GDP growth exceeded 6 percent during the two years before COVID-19 (coronavirus) struck, supported by rebounding confidence, investment, low interest rates, and growing tourism. Investment accounted for over 22 percent of GDP in 2019, three-fifths of which was private. The tourism market...

The economic outlook for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies appears far rosier now than it did even six months ago. Increased investment and consumption both public and private are contributing to growth while inflation remains subdued in most economies except for Saudi Arabia where it...

The fall 2021 issue of the Iraq Economic Monitor provides an in-depth review of the latest macroeconomic and policy developments amidst a global recovery in international oil markets and as COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease. As a result, the monitor finds that the economic prospects for Iraq...

In the years leading to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Liberia's economic performance was already weak. Since 2014 a series of severe shocks stopped in its track the growth momentum that had been spurred by the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2003. The economy was buffeted by the...

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a relatively modest toll on human lives in the Republic of Congo according to official data but has exacerbated an already fragile Congolese economy. As of September 28, 2021, the Republic of Congo has had 14,244 confirmed cases and 193 deaths, corresponding to a...

Following the surge in COVID-19 infections in Q3 2021, Malaysia is gradually emerging from the worst wave of the pandemic. As a result, the Malaysian economy is expected to be on a recovery path next year. In the near-term, it is key to ensure that targeted support measures remain in place. The...

After suffering a pandemic-driven slump in 2020, Kazakhstan's economic recovery is on track, having sustained quarterly growth throughout Q3 2021. Reduced COVID-19 cases and the loosening of mobility restrictions support business activities and maintain the rebound in consumer demand. However,...

After several months of low COVID-19 case numbers, Malawi is facing a fourth wave. While an increasing share of the global population is protected by vaccines, only about 6.5 percent of the population is vaccinated in Malawi, increasing the country's vulnerability to the virus. The Government...

Jordan's economy is showing a healthy recovery following a moderate contraction of 1.6 percent in 2020. Notwithstanding the restrictive pandemic measures, the economy managed to grow by 1.8 percent in the first half of 2021. Meanwhile, accommodative monetary policy by the Central Bank of Jordan...