The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has weakened the macroeconomic outlook. The authorities have launched a health care contingency plan and an initial package of economic measures, together totaling USD 31 million (0.4 percent of GDP), and are preparing a second, larger package of economic...

This paper focuses on the Islamic Republic of Mauritania's Request for Disbursement Under the Rapid Credit Facility. The economic and social impact of the pandemic is rapidly unfolding, with a contraction of output expected in 2020. The authorities have responded swiftly with measures to contain...

Countries in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (MENAP) region and those in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with swift and stringent measures to mitigate its spread and impact but continue to face an uncertain and difficult...

The COVID-19 pandemic is having far-reaching consequences for the global economy. Measures to contain the spread of the virus have led to sharp declines in economic activity across the globe, particularly in 2020Q2. The hardest hit sectors have been those requiring intensive human contact, such...

Climate change is both a major threat and a source of opportunities for Morocco's development. On one hand, Morocco is one of the world's most water-stressed countries, and water scarcity is a serious constraint to the country's ambition to transition to a new model of development. The...

Interest in CBDC is growing globally including in Bahrain, which has made considerable strides in the areas of payment service digitalization and fintech. While a CBDC could bring about various benefits, it may also imply risks. The analysis presented in this paper aims to assess some of these...

Benefiting from high oil prices, Kuwait's economic recovery continues, and the fiscal and external balances have strengthened. Inflation is contained and external buffers are increasing. However, structural challenges persist. The dominance of oil in Kuwait's economy coupled with global...

Benefiting from high oil prices, Kuwait's economic recovery continues, and the fiscal and external balances have strengthened. Inflation is contained and external buffers are increasing. However, structural challenges persist. The dominance of oil in Kuwait's economy coupled with global...

Years of isolation and continuous conflicts have left Gaza's economic development far behind that of the West Bank. In 2022, per capita income in Gaza was only a quarter of that in the West Bank, and unemployment and poverty rates were much higher. This reflects much lower employment and...