This Selected Issues paper presents updated IMF staff estimates of potential output growth for the United States, using data through 2001 that incorporates the full cyclical upswing of the 1990s and the subsequent mild recession, as well as taking into account the revisions to the national...

This paper discusses key findings of the Third Review for Liberia Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). The program remains on track. All performance criteria (PC) for end-June 2009 were met, except the PC on total revenue collection. IMF staff...

This 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that Bhutan’s fiscal policy has been anchored by keeping current spending below domestic revenue. Bhutan’s large and volatile trade deficits have been offset by sizable foreign aid flows, resulting in a balance of payments (BOP) surplus and...

The staff report for Uganda’s combined 2008 Article IV Consultation and Fourth Review Under the Policy Support Instrument is presented. Building on a foundation of two decades of sound policies, Uganda achieved an impressive economic performance, with high growth, low inflation, and steady...

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 report provides a summary of the antimoney laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) measures in place in Cape Verde. It sets out Cape Verde’s levels of compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 40 recommendations. The assessment reveals that Cape...

This Selected Issues paper describes the monetary transmission mechanism in Sierra Leone. The paper uses a vector autoregression model to explore the links between policy changes by The Bank of Sierra Leone and real variables, such as output and prices. The paper describes Sierra Leone’s...

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country

This 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that the fiscal deficit in Georgia widened markedly in 2008. The composition of spending improved from high defense and election outlays in the first half of the year to infrastructure and social spending in the second half. Executive Directors have...

Spain’s housing boom was supported by rapid economic expansion, strong employment growth, an immigration boom, and low real interest rates. With the abrupt drying up of funding since mid-2007, these factors have eroded quickly. Through 2010, employment and value added in construction are...