This paper focuses on the Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) for The Gambia. Understandings have been reached with the authorities on the SMP covering the period October 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006. Key objectives of the program include making progress toward fiscal sustainability, strengthening...

This Selected Issues paper for the Solomon Islands reviews budget trends in the past decade and assesses medium-term budget prospects. Aid flows and revenue from import tariffs and logging are projected to decline. Spending pressures are likely to pick up considerably, owing to the need to...

Despite the oil price shock, growth has been high. Discussions focused on the policies needed to reduce Costa Rica’s vulnerabilities, enhance growth, and reduce poverty in a lasting way. Passage of a substantial tax reform is essential. To bring inflation down to low single digits, the...

This 2006 Article IV Consultation highlights that with generally prudent macroeconomic policies, Namibia has enjoyed robust growth, moderate inflation, and strong external surpluses. Growth is expected to increase to 4½ percent in 2006, after 4¼ percent in 2005, owing in part to a recovery...

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country.

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country.

Russia’s large oil and gas reserves play a key role in its economic development. As with many other large oil exporters, Russia’s energy wealth is also posing numerous challenges to macroeconomic management. Although fiscal policy has saved a large part of the oil windfall in the...

This paper presents the Annual Progress Report on Vietnam’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. The industrial output and export turnover have continuously increased and exceeded the targeted plan. The entire social investment has been fairly well increased, especially that of the private sector,...