We employ an extended version of the Allen et al. (2002) Balance Sheet Approach to examine macroeconomic vulnerabilities in Colombia between 1996 and 2003, based on an unusually rich data set. We find that vulnerabilities existing prior to Colombia''s 1999 recession-high levels of private debt,...

This Selected Issues paper and Statistical Appendix analyzes economic developments in Colombia during 1996–99. Output growth slowed sharply in 1996 and early 1997, but subsequently rebounded owing to stronger exports, a temporary boom in world coffee prices, and an easing of credit policy....

After 25 years, the Colombian authorities decided to abandon the crawling peg exchange rate policy and implement a regime of nominal exchange rate bands. Initial conditions in Colombia contrast sharply with those of other cases in which bands were part of an ongoing effort to reduce high...

This 1999 Article IV Consultation highlights that the recession in Colombia intensified in 1999. The unemployment rate rose to a record 20 percent in September, while inflation fell to 91⁄2 percent and the current account deficit came down sharply. The fiscal position deteriorated markedly...

The Colombian economy proved resilient to the global financial crisis, and a solid recovery is under way. The pace of monetary tightening envisaged strikes the right balance between restraining credit growth and mitigating incentives for further capital inflows. A sudden acceleration of domestic...

Policymakers in many emerging markets are attempting to resist currency appreciation while simultaneously meeting targets for inflation. Using the recent experience of Colombia between 2004 and 2007, this paper examines the effectiveness of the Central Bank''s intervention in stemming domestic...

This paper discusses Colombia Third Review Under the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) and Request for Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criterion. Under the authorities’ program, economic performance has improved considerably. Real GDP rose by 3.7 percent in 2003 and 3.8 percent in the first...

The program made good progress toward creating the conditions for faster sustained growth over the medium term. The economic policies aim to preserve the program's macroeconomic framework. Fiscal policy is expected to stay on a sustainable path. The central bank has been successful in achieving...

The quality of the macroeconomic statistics is generally high, broadly conforming to international standards for compilation and dissemination, although coverage of illicit activities is poor. Executive Directors suggest reviewing the legal framework for statistical activity, including...

This paper quantifies the dynamic effects of fiscal policy using a structural model, the Global Integrated Monetary and Fiscal Model (GIMF). The analysis finds that success of fiscal policy in enhancing macroeconomic stability depends on the type of shock, the response of monetary policy, and...