Angola has made significant progress toward economic stabilization. Under the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA), the government’s key fiscal anchor is the non-oil primary fiscal deficit (NOPD), and the revised 2010 budget is determined to avoid any increase in the non-oil primary deficit. Policy...

Benin’s Fifth Review under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility and request for waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria are discussed. The main challenge ahead is to limit inflation pressures from higher food and fuel prices while sustaining medium-term fiscal consolidation...

This paper examines Senegal’s 2002 Article IV Consultation and Requests for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) and for Additional Interim Assistance Under the Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries. Overall, economic...

When policymakers have little option but to consider a sizable fiscal adjustment, they are confronted by the following questions: Can a large fiscal adjustment be implemented succesfully? How is a large adjustment best designed and implemented? What will be its impact on the economy? This...

Grenada quickly recovered from the devastating effects of Hurricane Ivan. Executive Directors welcomed the economic reform program aimed to promote economic growth, restore fiscal and debt sustainability, reduce vulnerabilities, and alleviate poverty. They emphasized the need to strengthen the...

This report provides an assessment of fiscal transparency practices in Greece in relation to the requirements of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency. The assessment reveals that Greece has made progress, in recent years, in meeting the requirements of the fiscal transparency...

The Republic of Kazakhstan’s 2008 Article IV Consultation shows that banks have lost access to new external financing, credit extension has stalled, and growth has slowed. Nevertheless, Kazakhstan has considerable public financial resources to help it weather the current situation and the...

Senegal achieved robust economic growth and low inflation under the economic program. Executive Directors emphasized the need to correct slippages in fiscal governance and transparency to ensure budgetary discipline and strengthen procurement rules and practices. They appreciated the action plan...

Using a unique dataset with information on the currency composition of firms' assets and liabilities in six Latin-American countries, I investigate how the choice of exchange rate regime affects firms' foreign currency borrowing decisions and the associated currency mismatches in their balance...

After a period of economic slowdown, the outlook for Sierra Leone appears more favorable. Development priorities and their financing while maintaining a competitive economy and a sustainable debt outlook will help. Structural reforms will focus on improving tax administration, strengthening...