This study analyses the performance of macroeconomic policy in South Africa in 2007- 2020 and outlines challenges for policy in the coming decade. After remarkable economic growth in 1997-07, South Africa's progress slowed dramatically in 2009 with the global financial crisis. Real GDP growth...

The Lao economy is estimated to have expanded by around 7 percent in 2015, a slight moderation from 7.5 percent in 2014. Similar to the last decade, the resource sectors (hydropower and extractives) continued to make an important contribution to growth. Power generation got a boost from the...

The country benefited from the improved external demand in 2017. Global growth is estimated to have picked up in 2017 to 3.0 percent from 2.4 percent in 2016, reflecting gradual recovery in the euro area, China, emerging Europe, and Russia as commodity prices and financial markets continued to...

This edition of the Tajikistan Country Economic Update (CEU) is part of a semi-annual series designed to monitor socio-economic developments in Tajikistan. In the first half of 2017, total investment was down by over seventeen percent year on year. However, investment picked up markedly in the...

A large number of studies in recent years have attempted to analyze and quantify the myriad of restrictions holding back economic development in the West Bank and Gaza, but the full picture remains blurred. The main value proposition of this study is to assess and quantify the overall prospects...

Guinea is a country with a rich historical legacy, abundant natural resources, a privileged geographical location - and a rapidly growing population. A successful political transition and the emergence of a vibrant civil society have helped to ensure ethnic peace and the absence of civil wars in...

Since its independence in 1991 and until prior to the global financial crisis (GFC) in 2008-09, Armenia was considered an important success story among the transition economies. Indeed, over several years, the country displayed a record of sustained macroeconomic achievements, reflected in high...

A recovery in the oil sector boosted recent economic performance. While the recovery in global oil prices would have a welcoming effect for Kazakhstan in terms of enhancing the economy's buffers and supporting growth, it may also reduce the perceived urgency for transitioning to the new growth...

Iraq's overall security situation has notably improved after the defeat of ISIS, but significant challenges lie ahead. Iraq has witnessed major political and security transitions in 2017 when Prime Minister Al-Abadi announced in December the victory over ISIS after a war that lasted three years....

Economic growth is expected to attain 3.1 percent in both 2016 and 3.2 percent in 2017 accelerating from 2.8 percent last year with private consumption and public investment as key drivers as consumer sentiment recovers, households deleverage and large public infrastructure projects are...