Fiscal problems have long been considered a central feature of financial--that is, currency, debt, and banking--crises. This paper addresses four questions: What are the fiscal causes of crises? Which fiscal vulnerability indicators help to predict crises? Can fiscal variables explain the...

Political instability and weak macroeconomic management have generated negative real per capita gross domestic product growth rates, contributing to widespread poverty and a worsening of social indicators. The challenge is to attain a higher rate of growth on a sustained basis and raise the...

This paper discusses Mozambique’s Third Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria. Performance under the program has been broadly satisfactory so far in 2005. All quantitative and...

Tanzania showed strong economic growth owing to its sound macroeconomic policies and structural reforms, under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) Arrangement. Executive Directors commended this step, and emphasized for higher revenue mobilization through reforms of tax...

Following satisfactory economic and financial performance under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility-supported program, performance was mixed. Benin should pursue a prudent debt-management policy with the support of the newly created debt committee. Implementation of the structural reform...

This paper assesses Benin’s Fourth Review Under The Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Macroeconomic performance remained broadly in line with the objectives of the PRGF-supported program in 2002. All performance criteria for end-September 2002 were met, and the four structural...

Malawi has made satisfactory economic progress under the Poverty Reduction Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement. Executive Directors commended fiscal consolidation, structural reforms, and monetary policy, and stressed the need to maintain macroeconomic stability. They welcomed the Malawi Poverty...

Niger’s First Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, and Requests for Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria and Augmentation of Access are discussed. The sharp rise in food prices pushed up inflation in 2005, while the food shortage affected one-fourth of the...

Burkina Faso’s Second and Third Reviews Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility and Requests for Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria are examined. Fiscal policy for 2005 aims at preserving social sector outlays while ensuring that the external debt burden falls....