This paper focuses on the Fourth Review Under the Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) for Afghanistan. Under the SMP, Afghanistan continued to make progress in improving macroeconomic management, strengthening its capacity to formulate policy, and creating conditions for sustainable economic growth....

This paper discusses Armenia’s request for a Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with exceptional access of 400 percent of quota. Given the urgency of the situation, the request is being considered under the Emergency Financing Mechanism. The new program aims to achieve the necessary external...

Facing declining reserves and high inflation, Ethiopian authorities have implemented an effective macroeconomic adjustment package supported by the IMF under the rapid-access component of the Exogenous Shocks Facility. The global recession is putting renewed pressure on the external position,...

This 2008 Article IV Consultation highlights that the Uzbek economy has performed well in recent years. The favorable external environment and improvements in macroeconomic policies resulted in high growth rates, large current account surpluses, a significant decline in the debt burden, and a...

This 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that the fiscal deficit in Georgia widened markedly in 2008. The composition of spending improved from high defense and election outlays in the first half of the year to infrastructure and social spending in the second half. Executive Directors have...

Tonga’s high debt and the apparent ineffectiveness of the monetary transmission mechanism constrain the authorities’ ability to support growth. In the near term, the strength of the global recovery is by no means assured, and there are multiple risks that could weaken prospects in...

Bolivia’s 2007 Article IV Consultation reports that reforms are needed to make the budget a more effective developmental and poverty-reducing tool. The fiscal position has shifted into a substantial surplus, and public debt has been substantially reduced. Financial sector stability has...

This 2007 Article IV Consultation highlights that effective economic management and an outward-oriented development strategy have contributed to placing Tunisia’s economic performance over the past decade among the best in the region. Real GDP growth accelerated from 4 percent in 2005 to...

Tunisia showed excellent economic performance. Executive Directors commended the strong economic performance and resilience to adverse shocks, subdued inflation, strengthened reserves, and increasing capital inflows, which underscored the benefits of sustained sound macroeconomic policies and...

This paper presents Seychelles’ 2008 Article IV Consultation and Request for a Stand-By Arrangement. Large macroeconomic imbalances and vulnerabilities resulting from longstanding unsustainable macroeconomic policies, combined with recent external shocks, culminated in mid-2008 with the...