This paper presents a Joint Staff Advisory Note on Vietnam’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. GDP growth accelerated to 7.7 percent despite several exogenous shocks, including the outbreak of avian influenza and a sharp rise in the price of key imported commodities. However, an adverse...

The staff report for the 2005 Article IV Consultation on the Central African Republic (CAR) highlights economic developments and performance. Revenue performance was disappointing, and there were sizable expenditure overruns, particularly on the wage bill. The authorities and IMF staff agreed on...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that Angola’s GDP grew by 11 percent in 2004, following a slowdown in growth in 2003, largely reflecting the profile of oil production, which now accounts for one-half of GDP. The economy outside the extractive sector is currently estimated to...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that from 1999 to 2002, Korea’s economy grew rapidly, by an average of 7¼ percent per year. But starting in 2003, the economy has begun to sputter. Growth suddenly stopped in the first half of the year, leapt ahead in the second half as...

This Selected Issues paper on Pakistan reports that fiscal adjustment, supported by official and private inflows and debt relief, has led to a substantial improvement in public and external debt indicators. International reserves have recovered close to US$10 billion. Financial sector reforms...