Paraguay’s Fifth Review Under the Stand-By Arrangement and Request for Waiver of Performance Criteria are discussed. The overall fiscal position remains in surplus, the exchange rate weakened slightly with respect to the U.S. dollar, but considerably with respect to the Brazilian real,...

This 2005 Article IV Consultation highlights that since the last Article IV Consultation, Bangladesh’s economy has continued to expand, supported by a stable macroeconomic environment and progress in implementing structural reforms, broadly in line with the recommendations made by the IMF...

The staff report for the combined consultation and 2005 Article IV Consultation on Gabon highlights economic developments and policies. Preparing Gabon for the post-oil era requires strengthening the efficiency of the public sector and providing a framework for private sector development to...

This 2002 Article IV Consultation highlights that since the conclusion of the last Article IV consultation in March 2001, Uganda has continued to implement disciplined financial policies and sound structural reforms that have helped to sustain robust economic growth despite an adverse external...

The staff report for the First Review Under the Stand-By Arrangement on the Republic of Croatia focuses on fiscal policy and monetary and financial sector policies. Financial soundness indicators show a continuation of the overall strengthening of the banking system, although foreign...

Bolivia’s Third Review Under the Stand-By Arrangement and Request for Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria are discussed. The highly dollarized financial system suffered a renewed deposit run in October 2003, and conditions in the financial sector have remained fragile in 2004....

This 2005 Article IV Consultation highlights that recent accession to the European Union and gains in growth performance reinforced the Czech Republic’s position as one of the most open and developed economies among the new member states. Thanks to substantial foreign direct investment,...

Romania’s 2004 Article IV Consultation and Request for Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) are discussed. The authorities have requested a new precautionary 24-month SBA to secure macroeconomic stabilization and keep European Union accession on track. Romania has preserved competitiveness, despite...

The paper reviews the principles and practical considerations involved in the choice between foreign and domestic financing of fiscal deficits, and derives a series of recommendations broadly applicable to Central and West African countries. The paper develops a simple analytical framework and...

This paper discusses the Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) for Guinea. Agreement in principle was reached on the SMP from April 2005 to March 2006. The program would support the authorities’ efforts in restoring macroeconomic stability and establish a track record of policy implementation to...