Kosovo's female labor force participation ranks among the lowest globally, resulting in a substantial gender participation gap. This paper examines the drivers of this phenomenon and estimates the potential economic gains from eliminating this disparity. Additionally, it introduces a framework...

This paper highlights recent trends in the Kosovo labor market and emigration. Like other Western Balkan countries, Kosovo experienced a sharp decline in population over the previous decade, as emigration increased. Using a structural model of the labor market and migration, the paper examines...

South Africa's inflation-targeting framework has served the country well, playing a key role in reducing inflation since 2000. However, with inflation still above that of key trading partners, questions have arisen whether a potential shift from the current target band (3 to 6 percent) to a...

South Africa's public debt has tripled since the global financial crisis and is not expected to stabilize over the medium term under staff's baseline. Cross-country evidence suggests that fiscal rules anchored in debt ceilings can be helpful in supporting fiscal adjustments aimed at reducing...

South Africa's economic growth has stagnated over the past decade due to entrenched structural rigidities. This paper examines the impact of reforms addressing shortcomings in governance, business regulation, and labor market on output and employment. The analysis quantifies the potential...

Belgium's total factor productivity (TFP) growth slowdown since the late 1990s has been worse than peers' despite significant spending on innovation. This is largely explained by subdued business dynamics, insufficient firm access to financing, labor and capital misallocation, and the...

Educational outcomes in Belgium are comparable to peers but achieved at a higher cost. The public wage bill for education is higher than in peers, reflecting smaller student-to-teacher ratios and less teaching time. Yet, Belgium experiences teacher shortages. Reforms should aim at increasing the...

Against a backdrop of constrained fiscal space, Belgium faces considerable investment needs. Improving infrastructure governance processes can enhance investment efficiency, achieving more "bang" for each investment "buck". This paper analyzes public investment management practices in Belgium,...

Public investment in Belgium has been low historically. Against severe budgetary constraints and fiscal consolidation requirements, public investment should however be preserved or, ideally, increased to mitigate the demand impact of consolidation and enhance productive capacity to lift...

Qatar has been actively preparing to embrace the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), allowing it to lead its Emerging Market peers in AI readiness. Qatar's AI exposure has increased significantly over the years, and increasing AI adoption is assessed to yield more...