This paper discusses a request from Samoa's authorities for a Disbursement Under the Rapid-Access Component of the Exogenous Shocks Facility (ESF-RAC). The tsunami that hit Samoa on September 29, 2009 has undercut Samoa’s economic resilience and prospects for a quick recovery from the...

Iceland’s gross external debt rose above 600 percent of GDP, while households and corporations accumulated heavy debt burdens with large exposures to foreign exchange and inflation risk. The global banking crisis exposed Iceland’s vulnerabilities, triggering a balance-of-payments...

This 2008 Article IV Consultation highlights that after 15 years of impressive growth led by a housing boom, the Spanish economy has entered a sharp downturn in the wake of the global liquidity squeeze since mid-2007. Executive Directors have commended the authorities for their timely and...

This paper presents key findings of the Second and Third Reviews for Gabon under the Stand-By Arrangement. Performance under the program has been mixed. Non-oil economic growth was robust prior to the onset of the international financial crisis, spurred by high oil and commodity prices. However,...

This 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights that Iceland’s economy is on a path to recovery, but legacy vulnerabilities are weighing on growth. GDP growth—which reached 2.9 percent in 2011—slowed to 1.6 percent in 2012 amid private sector deleveraging and weak external...

Lesotho is a small, landlocked, low-income country, with limited natural resources and a narrow production and export base. In recent Article IV consultations, IMF staff has emphasized the importance of ensuring that increases in outlays for poverty reduction are consistent with fiscal...

The Selected Issues paper discusses measures taken by the Chilean government to record moderate economic growth in 2012. The easing of fiscal stance and tightening of expenditure have proved to prevent a decline in the economy. The authorities have estimated retaining a favorable economic...

This 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights that Montenegro’s recovery from the collapse of the lending boom in 2008 has been slowed by the debt overhang that remains in the private sector. Output contracted in 2012 because of unusually severe winter weather early in the year, as well as...

Bolivia’s 2007 Article IV Consultation reports that reforms are needed to make the budget a more effective developmental and poverty-reducing tool. The fiscal position has shifted into a substantial surplus, and public debt has been substantially reduced. Financial sector stability has...

The ex-post evaluation of Iceland’s Exceptional Access under the 2008 Stand-By Arrangement is presented. In the wake of the global financial crisis in late 2008, Iceland has experienced a deep financial and economic crisis of its own. Domestically, the rapid increase in lending fuelled...