This 2001 Article IV Consultation for Kazakhstan highlights that real GDP growth in 2001 is expected to be about 13 percent, driven by the strong growth in the petroleum sector and associated spillover effects. Inflation has declined further to 6.4 percent in December (year-over-year). Gross...

This paper examines Lao People’s Democratic Republic’s 2001 Article IV Consultation and Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Over the past 18 months, the Lao authorities have acted decisively to reduce inflation from triple- to...

This 2001 Article IV Consultation highlights that the economy of Spain grew by more than 4 percent annually during 1997–2000—reflecting strong consumption, competitive exports, wage moderation, and supply conditions enhanced by structural reforms. Annualized real GDP growth was about 2...

This 2002 Article IV Consultation highlights that despite frequent shocks and an uncertain policy environment in Vanuatu, macroeconomic stability has been maintained. Real GDP growth was 21⁄2 percent in 2000 owing to an agriculture-led recovery. However, the economy contracted by 2 percent in...

This paper focuses on the Islamic Republic of Mauritania’s 2002 Article IV Consultation, Fifth Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), and a Request for Waiver of Performance Criteria. Performance under the PRGF-supported program was solid in 2001, reflecting sound...

This paper assesses the Sixth Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) and Requests for Waiver of Performance Criteria for Burkina Faso. The implementation of the PRGF-supported program remains largely satisfactory, with all but one of the quantitative benchmarks and...

This 2002 Article IV Consultation highlights that Belize’s economic growth accelerated to 11 percent in 2000, but declined to 5 percent in 2001 as a result of several hurricanes, terrorist attacks in the United States, and a shrimp-virus epidemic. Confidence was also affected by financing...

This 2002 Article IV Consultation highlights that the economy of France is facing a fast-approaching demographic turnaround—with the active population beginning to decline in 2007 and reducing annual per-capita-GDP growth by about half a percentage point for a few decades. In 2002, the general...

This 2002 Article IV Consultation highlights that real GDP growth of Botswana slipped to an estimated 11⁄4 percent in 2001/02 (July–June), largely reflecting a downturn in the global diamond market and a drop in Botswana’s diamond production. The non-mining sectors performed better,...

This paper assesses Burundi’s 2002 Article IV Consultation and a Request for Post-Conflict Emergency Assistance. Implementation of a Staff-Monitored Program in 2001 was hampered by continued instability and a consequent holding back of donor support. Fiscal performance weakened in the latter...