Financial sector strategies enable financial policy makers and stakeholders to take a holistic view of the financial development needs in their country and formulate balanced financial policies. They help policy makers consider the systemic risk that different development policies involve and...

During the 1990s, Emerging Europe and Central Asia (ECA) opted for a model of rapid financial development focused on bank credit expansion often funded by foreign capital. This model helped boost the financial inclusion of firms and households, but was also accompanied by lower financial...

During the 1990s, Emerging Europe and Central Asia (ECA) opted for a model of rapid financial development focused on bank credit expansion often funded by foreign capital. This model helped boost the financial inclusion of firms and households, but was also accompanied by lower financial...

This paper reviews the literature on financial stability and financial inclusion-two broad objectives of financial policy that may be mutually dependent. The review suggests the possible co-dependence of stability and inclusion. We build on this theoretical motivation by exploring stylized facts...

In crisis times, depositors get anxious, can run on banks, and withdraw their deposits. Correlated withdrawals of bank deposits could be mitigated if bank deposits are more diversified, that is, held by more individuals. This paper examines the link between the broader access to bank deposits...

Cover -- Half Title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- About the Authors and Contributors -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Regional Classifications Used in This Report -- Overview -- ECA Financial Systems Remain Vulnerable to Financial Shocks and Are Not Sufficiently...

Policy makers and regulators have devoted much effort to reforms aimed at improving financial stability in response to lessons from the 2007-09 crisis. At the same time, much effort has also been directed to promoting greater financial inclusion as an enabler of equal opportunity. To some...