This paper discusses a Request from Albania for a Three-Year Arrangement under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). This arrangement aims to prepare Albania for graduation from IMF-supported programs. If properly implemented, the policies it embodies will reduce vulnerabilities,...

This paper focuses on Niger’s Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Authorities’ reform program for 2005–07 focuses on fiscal consolidation; public and financial sector reforms; and development of social and priority...

Niger’s sociopolitical environment remains fragile, with a continuation in early 2003 of the social tensions that surfaced in 2002. In the wake of a satisfactory macroeconomic performance in 2002, activity has continued to be buoyant in all sectors of the economy, particularly in the...

Recent economic developments have been adversely affected by the severe drought. The mission and the authorities updated the macroeconomic framework for 2003/04 and the medium-term in light of recent developments and the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) price projections. The fiscal strategy...

This paper analyzes requests from Chad authorities for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) and Additional Interim Assistance Under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. The authorities made progress in implementing structural...

Cameroon’s 2005 Article IV Consultation reports that tangible progress has been made in the health and education sectors, and a number of social indicators have improved significantly. The deterioration in fiscal performance and related weaknesses in fiscal management could, in the longer...

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia’s 2005 Article IV Consultation reports that domestic credit growth has accelerated, driven by strong demand from the government, public enterprises, and the private sector. High import content, particularly from public infrastructure...

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....