The IMF conducted a Technical Assistance (TA) mission to assist the National Reserve Bank of Tonga (NRBT) in determining an appropriate policy rate and in implementing an effective liquidity management and forecasting framework. This TA mission serves as a follow-up to previous IMF TA, which...

Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are experiencing a rapid urban transition in the context of intensifying climate and disaster risks. Responding to these challenges requires more than incremental action. The Livable Pacific Cities and Towns report sets out a strategic framework for resilient...

The operation has been screened for climate and disaster risks and has been found to be highly exposed while risks to the operation's activities are moderate. Climate change is profoundly impacting the health of Pacific Islanders, particularly the large portion of the population with...

This paper provides a targeted analysis of ML/TF risks pertaining to remittances to Samoa, confirming limited risks, and discusses potential opportunities for streamlining applicable AML/CFT requirements to operationalize regional remittances risk assessments. Over the past decade, Samoa has...

This paper describes the recent work to strengthen the nowcasting capacity at the Central Bank of Samoa (CBS). It compiles available high-frequency datasets such as tourism receipts, agriculture market survey, remittances, among others, to nowcast real GDP in Samoa. Nowcasting enables the...

This paper investigates the short- and medium-term economic impacts of natural disasters, focusing on Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and using global high-frequency nightlight data in addition to macroeconomic data. In this paper, we identify significant short-term effects on growth following...