This paper discusses key findings of the Assessment of Financial Sector Supervision and Regulation for Panama. The assessment of bank supervision showed a high degree of compliance with the Basel Core Principles (BCP) reflecting generally satisfactory implementation combined with an adequate...

This 2006 Article IV Consultation highlights that Italy’s economy is enjoying a broad-based, if comparatively modest, cyclical upswing. Output is estimated to have grown by 13⁄4 percent in 2006—the strongest pace since the beginning of the decade. Inflation is close to that of the euro...

This report on the Observance of Standards and Codes on Fiscal Transparency for the Republic of Tajikistan analyzes fiscal transparency practices against the requirements of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency. In the context of sectoral reforms, the authorities intend to...

This Selected Issues paper for Peru explains growth and reform in the country post-1990. As half of the population in Peru still lives below the poverty line, further research should consider how the link between average income improvements and poverty reduction can be strengthened. Although the...

This paper discusses key findings of the Second Review Under the Staff Monitored Program (SMP) and New Program for 2007 for Liberia. Performance under the SMP in the quarter to end-September was mixed. The authorities achieved all but one of the quantitative benchmarks, but they needed more time...

This paper discusses key findings of the First Review Under the Policy Support Instrument (PSI) for Cape Verde. The PSI seeks to reduce macroeconomic risks, provides a margin of safety against exogenous shocks, and addresses the prospect of a longer-term decline in highly concessional external...

This 2007 Article IV Consultation highlights that Vietnam has recorded continued strong economic performance since the conclusion of the last Article IV Consultation. GDP growth rose to 8.2 percent in 2006, with non-oil exports remaining an important engine of growth. Private investment has also...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes external shocks and business cycle fluctuations in Mexico. The paper examines the relative importance of U.S. demand shocks—and other foreign disturbances—in explaining Mexican output fluctuations. It identifies the dynamic response of Mexico’s output to...

Growth has slowed to a more sustainable level and financial vulnerabilities have eased. But risks remain. Household debt is high, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) awaits legislative approval, and ongoing trade tensions between the United States (U.S.) and its major trading...

This Technical Assistance Report on The Gambia highlights that the government has highlighted infrastructure development as a key element of National Development Plan, 2018-21. The report discusses that the need for increased public investment in the Gambia should be balanced against potential...