This policy note argues that the current global economic crisis enforces an adjustment process in the countries of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CEE and SEE) in the form of real exchange rate depreciation. Because of the weakness of financial institutions and built-up foreign...

This piece argues that three specific policy issues need to be addressed urgently in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe in order to avoid a sustained period of recession or depression (i) orderly exchange rate adjustment (ii) fiscal stress and (iii) financial sector vulnerability. The G-20...

This policy note argues that the current global economic crisis enforces an adjustment process in the countries of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CEE and SEE) in the form of real exchange rate depreciation. Because of the weakness of financial institutions and built-up foreign...

This piece argues that three specific policy issues need to be addressed urgently in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe in order to avoid a sustained period of recession or depression (i) orderly exchange rate adjustment (ii) fiscal stress and (iii) financial sector vulnerability. The G-20...

This note shows that based on headcount poverty rates, at the household level, households with elderly members are roughly equally poor to non-elderly households, though with variation when using more detailed compositions, and the elderly are less poor than children in 98 percent of the...

This Energy Sector Policy Note is intended to support the Government of Mozambique in determining priorities for policy decisions with the aim of delivering efficiently produced, technically and financially sustainable electricity supply to the Mozambican population. To support the development...

Bhutan's hydropower generation potential raises the prospect of tremendous development opportunities for the country: fast increasing export revenue, sustained economic growth, and rapid poverty reduction. Driven by developments in the hydropower sector, the country has grown at an average rate...

Out-of-pocket payments (OOPs) are direct (at the point of service) financial contributions or co-payments by patients and their families associated with consumption of medical products (such as medicines) and/or services. They can be formal as well as informal payments. Together with taxation,...

Has the single currency promoted or hindered convergence among the countries of the Eurozone? On the one hand, asymmetric shocks have subsided after the creation of the single currency and FDI has been substantially promoted both inside and outside the EMU as a result of reduced exchange rate...