Cyprus experienced significant internal and external imbalances owing to the European financial crisis. The oversized and weak banking sector continued to be a threat to the sovereign. Greek debt restructuring, together with loan losses of both Cyprus and Greece, resulted in the two largest...

New Zealand’s economy continued to grow at a moderate rate, in part reflecting the effects of the recent drought and inflation. The macroeconomic policy has been framed to absorb adverse shocks with flexible exchange rates to serve as buffer. The planned pace of deficit reduction is...

This Selected Issues paper focuses on constructing a high-frequency economic growth indicator for Suriname. Most economic data for Suriname are available only with a substantial time lag and on a low-frequency basis, impeding such analyses. This paper presents a simple econometric model that...

This paper highlights Pakistan’s 2013 Article IV Consultation and Request for an Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility. Discussions in the IMF report focus on macroeconomic policies to address vulnerabilities and reforms to promote robust inclusive growth. The...

This paper discusses Mexico’ Review Under the Flexible Credit Line (FCL) Arrangement. Significant progress has been made in advancing far-reaching structural reforms, signaling Mexico’s commitment to address deep-rooted impediments to growth. The economy slowed down in early 2013,...

Fiscal expansion after euro accession led to a buildup of large economic imbalances, and a program to make fiscal policy and the fiscal and debt position sustainable was initiated. However, the program saw opposition from the outset and structural reforms stalled, which unsettled the investment...

This 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights that Georgia’s real GDP growth averaged 6½ percent in 2011–2012, about 1½ percentage points more than projected at the 2011 Article IV consultation. Inflation has declined steadily, reflecting lower food prices, lagged effects of...

Tunisia’s macroeconomic situation has recovered from the post-revolution trough, but fiscal and external buffers have been eroded. Prudent management of monetary policy is crucial for short-term macroeconomic stabilization goals and to build external buffers. The challenges arise from...

The article highlights the economic condition, fiscal policies, external stability, and financial growth strategy of The Bahamas. The economy of The Bahamas showed gradual growth of about 2.5 percent by 2012, but there were challenges for the country. The nation has to rebuild macroeconomic...

This paper discusses Liberia’s Second Review Under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement and Request for Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria and Modification of a Performance Criterion. Program performance has weakened relative to the previous review, as well as the...