This Selected Issues paper focuses on policies to promote high, sustainable growth in Peru, the risks posed by dollarization, and key medium-term fiscal issues of decentralization and social security reform. The paper identifies the main impediments to output and employment growth and proposes...

Mauritania successfully completed its previous poverty reduction growth facility arrangement in December 2002. The focus of this report is on the effectiveness of policies adopted in the last few years and the medium-term strategy. Macroeconomic stability under the IMF-supported program and the...

São Tomé and Príncipe pursued economic reforms and tried to reduce poverty amidst macroeconomic imbalances under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program. Executive Directors supported the authorities’ decision to sustain the process of fiscal consolidation, and stressed the...

The report summarizes the assessment of Financial Sector Supervision and Regulation on Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) on banking supervision, insurance supervision, and securities regulation of Cyprus. The report assesses that the financial system in Cyprus is in a...

Cape Verde’s economic and policy performance remains sound under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement supported by Policy Support Instrument (PSI). Executive Directors commended the prudent macroeconomic policies and structural reforms. They emphasized the need for...

This 2005 Article IV Consultation highlights that the macroeconomic performance and financial developments in Trinidad and Tobago are currently being driven by a highly favorable external environment. Surging oil prices have strengthened the external current account balance, financed an...

Developing and boosting the private sector, in the area of industry, trade, and private sector, actions for securing investment, promoting investment, developing partnerships in Madagascar produced positive results. The investment rate is 12.37 percent out of an objective of 14 percent. The...

The authorities’ program for 2003–05, supported by the previous Stand-By Arrangement (SBA), successfully stabilized the economy despite difficult conditions. A new economic program for 2006–08 is needed to consolidate macroeconomic stability, address remaining vulnerabilities, and create...

Paraguay’s Fourth Review Under the Stand-By Arrangement and Request for Waiver of Performance Criteria are examined. The main challenge is to consolidate the macroeconomic gains achieved thus far and deepen structural reform. A stable macroeconomic environment will be the key for creating the...

The current account deficit in Bulgaria, which doubled in 2005 to 11.8 percent of GDP, deteriorated further to 14.6 percent of GDP during the first four months of 2006. The current account deficit continues to be substantially financed by foreign direct investment (FDI) flows. Fiscal policy has...