The staff report for the 2005 Article IV Consultation on the Republic of Latvia highlights the economic outlook and mid-term risks. A sound policy framework and far-reaching structural reforms supported this performance, including a prudent fiscal policy that underpinned the exchange rate peg....

Owing to the high dependence of its exports on countries and commodities, Finland experienced the worst recession in the euro area. Executive Directors encouraged authorities to focus on improving bank cost efficiency, preventing excessive risk taking, and limiting liquidity and funding risks....

The economic restructuring and expansion after the crisis reflected a combination of private sector initiative, solid macroeconomic management, including the shift from large deficits to significant surpluses of the general government, and structural reforms. High unemployment is one indication...

Kosovo is still in the process of building key social and economic institutions. Economic performance over the past decade has been robust, but growth has been tilted toward domestic demand, fuelled by transfers and non-debt creating capital inflows. The adoption of the euro provides a strong...

Italy’s economic development after the recession is analyzed in this study. Earnings were hampered by low net interest and high loan-loss provisions, but banks remained profitable. A large and stable retail funding base and ample collateral to access eurosystem refinancing helped Italian banks...

Bolivia showed a solid macroeconomic performance in recent years, owing to its strong trade and prudent economic policies. IMF staff stressed the need to tighten monetary conditions through increasing the policy interest rate as a means to combat inflation. The Executive Board praised...

Finland’s 2008 Article IV Consultation shows that spillovers from the global turmoil are adversely affecting activity and may weaken the financial system. From a cyclical perspective, a fiscal structural loosening is warranted. Its effectiveness in Finland’s small, open economy would be...

This 2007 Article IV Consultation highlights that Sudan’s economic growth continued to be strong in 2006. Overall real GDP increased by 12 percent, despite a lower growth in oil production than previously projected. Non-oil GDP increased by roughly 10 percent—buoyed by a continued recovery...

This 2005 Article IV Consultation highlights that Guinea’s economic performance has deteriorated in recent years, largely as a result of a weak policy framework and against a background of mounting regional insecurity and low prices for its main commodity exports. Economic growth since 2000...

Macroeconomic developments benefited from oil windfalls, but structural problems still impede non-oil growth. Fiscal and external balances improved in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) because of the surge in oil prices and better fiscal management. Oil-related reserve...