This paper reviews Albania’s 2004 Article IV Consultation, Fifth Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), Request for Extension of the Arrangement, and Financing Assurances Review. The macroeconomic performance of the Albanian economy has been remarkable by both...

This paper reports on Bangladesh’s Financial System Stability Assessment. Considerable progress has been made in strengthening the resilience of the country's financial sector. Total assets of the banking sector have increased twofold since 2003, and credit to the private sector has risen...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that from 1999 to 2002, Korea’s economy grew rapidly, by an average of 7¼ percent per year. But starting in 2003, the economy has begun to sputter. Growth suddenly stopped in the first half of the year, leapt ahead in the second half as...

This paper discusses key findings of the Second Review and Financing Assurances Review Under the Stand-By Arrangement for Latvia. The sharp economic downturn is starting to bottom out, although recovery has not yet begun. The authorities have implemented the June 2009 supplementary budget, and...

This study is carried out against a backdrop of deep divisions in Greece and in Europe over how to handle the challenges now confronting Greece. Greece’s deeper medium-term policy needs and identifying ways to replace the expected market financing are discussed. Structural reforms tackled...

This paper focuses on Albania’s Fourth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), Request for a Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion, and Financing Assurances Review. Performance since the third review has been satisfactory...

The main challenges for this review were to further redress long-running problems in the energy sector and to balance fiscal policy requirements for development spending with macroeconomic stability. The financial position of the state-owned electricity company (KESH) deteriorated significantly...

This 2008 Article IV Consultation highlights that over the last decade, Albania’s macroeconomic performance has generally been strong and per capita GDP in U.S. dollar terms more than doubled. Strong fiscal policy, largely based on major improvements in tax administration, lowered public...

This Selected Issues paper discusses the impact of global financial turmoil on Japan. It describes how close integration in global financial markets has deepened and expanded the channels for spillovers. The paper discusses options for increasing the consumption tax to finance the public pension...