Using a central bank legislation database, this paper documents and analyzes worldwide institutional arrangements for central bank lending to the government and identifies international practices. Key findings are: (i) in most advanced countries, central banks do not finance government...

The Paraguayan economy suffered setbacks throughout 2011–12 owing to drought, export ban, and inflation. Recovery measures have been under way with active government intervention in the implementation of a new budget, tax reforms, and new monetary and fiscal policies. The central bank has...

This paper presents key findings of the Third Review under the Policy Support Instrument (PSI) in Rwanda. Program performance was broadly satisfactory. All end-June quantitative assessment criteria were met. Structural benchmarks were partially met as the pace of implementation of structural...

Several Central American (CADR) countries with independent monetary policies are strengthening their monetary frameworks and some have implemented or are moving towards inflation targeting (IT) regimes. Strengthening the monetary policy frameworks of CADR is key to improving the effectiveness of...

This paper develops a practical model-based forecasting and policy analysis system (FPAS) to support a transition to an inflation forecast targeting regime in Sri Lanka. The FPAS model provides a relatively good forecast for inflation and a framework to evaluate policy trade-offs. The model...

This paper highlights that central banks from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru (the LA5 countries) reaped the benefits of what they sowed in successfully weathering the global crisis. The adoption of far-reaching institutional, policy, and operational reforms during the last two decades...

This paper discusses the use of interest rates as the operating target for monetary policy in Tunisia and the roadmap for establishing the other building blocks of an inflation targeting framework. It argues that strengthening the effectiveness of the current monetary policy framework will...

This paper analyzes the monetary policy response to rising inflation in emerging and developing countries associated with the food and oil price shocks in 2007 and the first half of 2008. It reviews inflation developments in a sample of countries covering all regions and a broad range of...

This paper investigates inflation dynamics in Sudan using three different approaches: the single equation model, the structural vector-auto regression model and a vector error correction model. This is the first study in a low-income and a post-conflict country that uses these three separate...

The rebound in inflation since mid-2007 is mostly owed to a jump in food prices in Paraguay. The price volatility of fruits and vegetables explains the divergence between headline and core inflation indicators observed in 2007. Following a decline that started in 2006, core inflation has risen...