This 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s vulnerability at the outset of the global crisis was its large current account deficit in the context of the exchange rate peg to the euro. At the same time, it benefited from a small fiscal...

This Selected Issues paper on the Kingdom of Lesotho reviews the broad objectives and key institutional features of the Common Monetary Area (CMA) relating to currency arrangements. The CMA Agreement provides for the three small member countries to have access to South African capital and money...

This paper focuses on Ex Post Assessment of Longer-Term Program Engagement for Guinea. Guinea’s stabilization and reform efforts have been almost continuously supported by IMF financial arrangements since 1987. The paper reviews developments under the last two IMF-supported programs...

The staff report for the 2008 Article IV Consultation of the Syrian Arab Republic on economic developments and policies is discussed. The impact of adverse global and regional developments currently under way on the Syrian economy is expected to be relatively moderate in the short term. The...

This Selected Issues Paper on Switzerland focuses on unprecedented currency appreciation and policy response. On September 6, 2011, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) surprised the market by explicitly committing to defending a floor of 1.20 on the exchange rate of EUR/CHF. The introduction of the...

This paper discusses the detailed review report of Republic of Moldova's Central Bank Transparency Code review. The National Bank of Moldova (NBM) has emerged from a challenging history regarding trust and accountability, significantly influencing its current transparency and communication...

This paper presents a detailed review report of Montenegro's Central Bank Transparency Code review. The transparency of the Central Bank of Montenegro (CBCG)'s legal framework, its mandate, autonomy, and decision-making arrangements have all been strengthened over time, but further improvements...

The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) has a strong focus on transparency, building on the Omani Vision 2040. In line with the country's long-term vision, Vision 2040 (see Box 1), the CBO is committed to enhancing its policies and operations in line with international best practices. The Central Bank...

This technical note on Transparency of Monetary Policy on the Republic of Belarus highlights the open process for formulating and reporting of monetary policy discussions. The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB) displays a satisfactory degree of transparency in formulation and...

This technical note looks at the systemic risks stemming from the potential issuance of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in Sweden, as well as the growing significance of the Fintech sector. The Riksbank has been one of the pioneers in the analysis of CBDC, has recognized risks, and has put...