The paper discusses the consideration of Honduras’s Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). The interim relief provided under the enhanced HIPC Initiative has allowed the government to increase social spending. Controlling the public sector wage bill and...

This paper discusses the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in the perspective of sizable historical debt relief and large positive net resource flows to HIPCs. It argues that, by substantially reducing HIPCs’ debt stocks and debt service payments, the Initiative provides a...

This paper discusses key findings of the Sixth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) for Tanzania. Economic growth, inflation, and the external position have evolved in a manner consistent with program objectives, and the program has...

Guinea-Bissau’s 2010 Article IV Consultation and request for a Three-Year Arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility are discussed. Despite the difficult external environment and its political challenges, in 2009, Guinea-Bissau made progress in stabilizing its economy through the...

This paper discusses key findings of the First Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) for Afghanistan. Despite a difficult security environment and persistent expenditure pressures, Afghanistan’s performance during the first six months of 2006/07 was in line with...

The authorities’ response to policy recommendations in the 2005 Article IV Consultation has been generally positive, and authorities successfully completed an SMP. The appreciation reflects the tightening of monetary policy and increased inflows of remittances, transfers, and FDI. The...

The First Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, and Requests for Waiver of Performance Criteria for Senegal are discussed. Economic activity in the first half of 2003 has been weaker than envisaged under the program. The impact of softer domestic demand, reflecting mainly the...

This paper assesses Ethiopia’s economic progress under the Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, and seeks approval of the IMF staff for the completion point under the initiative. It reviews the status of creditor participation, the delivery of debt...

This paper discusses Congo’s Fourth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), and Requests for Waiver of Performance Criteria. Overall performance under the program was satisfactory and at end-March 2004, 8 out of the 11 quantitative...

This paper assesses the non linear impact of external debt on growth using a large panel data set of 93 developing countries over 1969–98. Results are generally robust across different econometric methodologies, regression specifications, and different debt indicators. For a country with...