Financial inclusion can increase economic growth and productivity and reduce poverty and inequality by helping people and firms-particularly SMEs-to save and invest, smooth consumption, and better manage financial risks. This paper highlights Niger's lag compared to other WAEMU countries in...

This Selected Issues paper presents stylized facts about food insecurity in Nigeria, investigates its drivers in a cross-country setting, and assesses the role of policies. The paper describes regional aspects of Nigeria's food insecurity and compares the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 and...

The 2022 Article IV Consultation highlights that Nigeria's economy has recouped the output losses sustained during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic supported by favorable oil prices and buoyant consumption activities. Gross domestic product adjusted for inflation has already reached its...

This Selected Issues paper discusses governance challenges in the Kyrgyz Republic. This paper aims to assess various aspects of governance in the Kyrgyz Republic and identify some of the key challenges in this area. Governance reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic can leverage linkages to the global...

The 2022 Article IV Consultation discusses that the economy of the Kyrgyz Republic has shown resilience to the spillovers from the war in Ukraine and is estimated to have grown by 5.5 percent in 2022, driven by gold production, trade, transportation, and agriculture. Strong output growth in 2022...

This paper on Republic of Congo presents Second Review under the Three-Year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement, Requests for Modification and Waivers of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria, and Financing Assurances Review. Strengthened economic recovery remains fragile amid high food...

The 2022 Article IV Consultation highlights that Jamaica has been buffeted by a difficult global environment-from coronavirus disease (COVID), the war in Ukraine, and the ongoing tightening of global financial conditions. The authorities provided targeted support to vulnerable households and...

This Selected Issues paper focuses on recalibrating the coronavirus disease (COVID) strategy in the People's Republic of China. Successfully containing outbreaks also supported the gradual transition to more targeted and flexible containment measures, refining the overall strategy in line with...

This Selected Issues paper compares Malta's response to that of other European countries and discusses the pros and cons of different policies, in light of the desirable policy priorities in the current context. This chapter also analyses the fiscal and distribution implications of alternative...

The 2022 Article IV Consultation with Malta explores that Malta's economy has recovered strongly following the worst recession in decades due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Malta's economic recovery from the pandemic is remarkable, but the indirect impact of Russia's war in Ukraine...