This paper evaluates Tajikistan’s 2002 Article IV Consultation and a Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Tajikistan’s previous IMF-supported program went off track in mid-2001 largely because of poor progress with structural...

This paper discusses key findings of the Second Review Under the Staff Monitored Program (SMP) for Mauritania. Mauritania’s performance since the beginning of 2006 has been fully satisfactory. All quantitative targets and structural benchmarks under the SMP that covered the first six...

The Salvadoran economy was severely affected by the global economic slowdown. Further strengthening the economy’s growth prospects and reducing poverty will depend on a durable fiscal consolidation effort and improvements in the investment climate through continued commitment to...

Since the last Article IV Consultation, the Sri Lankan economy has advanced on several fronts. However, the economic effects of the two-decade long civil conflict are yet to be overcome, and many challenges remain. Recently, heightened political uncertainty has constrained the...

The staff report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation on Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) highlights economic developments and policies. Lao PDR’s recent macroeconomic performance has been relatively encouraging. Although some headway has been made in reforming the state...

The staff report for the First Review Under the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) on Gabon focuses on economic developments and policies. The economy is little diversified and heavily dependent on oil production, which is on a downward trend; the debt burden is high; and social indicators are weak. The...

Djibouti’s 2007 Article IV Consultation focuses on the medium-term growth prospects and policies necessary to ensure that growth is broad based and accompanied by sufficient employment creation. Real GDP growth is estimated at 4.8 percent in 2006, driven by fiscal expansion, and a sizable...

This 2002 Article IV Consultation highlights that real GDP of Grenada declined by 3 percent in 2001, reflecting the global slowdown, completion of most of the large infrastructure and tourism projects, and the effects on tourism of the September 11 attacks in the United States. The fiscal...

St. Lucia showed strong growth performance owing to its strong investment in tourism infrastructure. Executive Directors commended the prudent public debt management and sound banking system. They underscored the need for fiscal consolidation and steps to promote domestic investment and labor...

This paper on the Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) for the Republic of Congo explains medium-to-long-term strategy for poverty reduction. Emerging from a conflict situation, and starting from a low base, Congo has made significant progress in implementing...