Few papers have attempted to assess the role of 'capacity,' especially in the area of macroeconomic statistics. Consequently, we make an attempt to advance this literature through the construction of a 'statistical capacity building index,' and then test its explanatory power on the cyclicality...

In the extensive empirical work carried out across the IMF on oil-producing sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, the notion of ""sustainability"" is often directed toward fiscal policies, and, in particular, views on the ""optimal"" non-oil primary fiscal deficit. The bulk of this work does not,...

In this paper, we consider the design of the surveillance, and, in particular, the fiscal criteria in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) with the view to ensuring they are consistent with internal and external sustainability. This consistency is important within a...

Over many years rises and fall of world oil prices have been repeatedly reflected in the boom-bust cycles in oil-exporting countries the world over. The recent spectacular rise and equally spectacular fall in prices provides an opportunity to inquire whether anything is different this time. In...

This paper assesses the scope and coverage of quasi-fiscal activities (QFAs) in Ghana. We find that while QFAs have been reduced recently, they remain significant. The extensive nature of these activities has several macroeconomic and structural policy implications. An extended measure of public...

The paper uses a multi-region DSGE model to quantify the macroeconomic implications of three adjustment scenarios for India: growth-friendly, social-friendly, and a benchmark case centered on bringing down unproductive spending and strengthening the consumption tax. Simulations indicate that...

This paper assesses the extent to which Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)’s business cycle is synchronized with that of the rest of the world (RoW). Findings suggest that SSA’s business cycle has not only moved in the same direction as that of the RoW, but has also gradually drifted away from the G7...