On December 24, 2013, a tropical trough system impacted St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The heavy rains resulted in severe floods and landslides, with damages and losses estimated to be equivalent to about 15 percent of GDP. With most of the impact falling on infrastructure, including bridges,...

This 2008 Article IV Consultation highlights that Djibouti’s macroeconomic performance improved significantly, but inflation pressures are intensifying. Real GDP growth accelerated to 5.3 percent in 2007, driven mainly by foreign direct investment concentrated in the construction and port...

This Joint Staff Advisory Note focuses on the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper–Annual Progress Report (APR) for Burundi. Slow implementation of structural reforms, a sharp decline in coffee production, and the unstable security situation are largely responsible for lower-than-expected...

Comoros remains in debt distress, pending the achievement of the completion point under the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative. The outlook for 2012 is broadly consistent with expectations under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement. The IMF Executive Board has approved a...

Following years as a star performer, Ireland is undergoing a painful adjustment as critical internal imbalances unwind. This 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that the banking system of Ireland is under considerable stress as asset quality has deteriorated and the global financial crisis...

The U.K. economy is on the mend, but crisis-related scars still need healing. The challenge ahead will be to ensure sustainable recovery and balance sheet repair while remaining flexible to respond to shocks. A highly accommodative monetary stance is required to offset the contractionary impulse...

This 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights Sweden’s economic growth and policies. Sweden’s economy appears to be slowing together with its main Nordic and European trading partners. The IMF report discusses that there is a scope to improve the fiscal framework, by ensuring it...

In Kenya, the general government is not defined consistently with government finance statistics (GFS) principles. Relationships between the central government and public nonfinancial and financial corporations are generally clearly defined. Government holdings of fully owned corporations and...

Djibouti’s 2007 Article IV Consultation focuses on the medium-term growth prospects and policies necessary to ensure that growth is broad based and accompanied by sufficient employment creation. Real GDP growth is estimated at 4.8 percent in 2006, driven by fiscal expansion, and a sizable...

The staff report for the 2006 Article IV Consultation on St. Vincent and the Grenadines highlights economic prospects and the fiscal situation. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a small, open economy that has increasingly relied on its tourism sector. The export-oriented services sector accounts...