A new dataset on export sophistication reveals that in many countries the importance of modern services, and the sophistication of manufactured and service exports, has increased over time. However, this trend was less pronounced in LICs. Sophisticated sectors are more likely to act as a...

For the last decade the Republic of Croatia has been preparing to enter and become a full member of the European Union (EU). The negotiations began in the context of political and social issues (the degree of democratization of society, respect for human freedoms and rights, etc.). Then in the...

Now humanity is going through hard times, hard times caused by this pandemic, which has strayed over the world namely, the current global crisis. It began as a US subprime crisis in the United State, it was then transformed into a banking crisis, followed by the debt crisis, sovereign credit...

Development represents a strategic goal for every country of the world. But it also is a “complicated issue”, given the multitude of (micro and macro economic) approaches that academics and strategists have proposed for development. By this paper we consider competitiveness as measure and...

The paper is an elaborated report on Nicaragua’s potential economic growth. The challenges and idiosyncratic shocks were immense but the policies of better education, labor contracts, and accomplishments in public investments paved the way for movement of the economy. The external...

The key issue facing Congo is how to use oil and mineral resources effectively in support of inclusive growth. Economic conditions are supportive--macroeconomic stability is in place, the terms of trade are favorable, and the external position is strong. External risks are mitigated by...

The 2012 Article IV Report on Ireland’s economy under the Extended Arrangement analyzes the banking crisis and Irish authorities’ steadfast efforts to restore stability. Public debt has been high, and the banking system has not served the financial needs of both households and the...

Mexico is an open economy with strong real and financial links to the rest of the world with risks of spillovers from global turbulence. Recent gains in market share in the U.S. manufacturing market are owed to improved relative unit labor costs and reemergence of a location advantage....

The 2011 Article IV Consultation reports that Panama’s economy has rebounded strongly from the 2009 slowdown, and is one of the fastest-growing in the region. Rapid growth and prudent fiscal policy have lowered public debt to less than 40 percent of GDP, and rating agencies have placed...