Building on initial discussions of the proposed framework in February/March 2004, and further considerations in September 2004, this paper responds to remaining concerns that need to be resolved to make the framework operational. These concerns relate to the indicative debt-burden thresholds...

Investigates the macroeconomic challenges for low-income countries created by a surge in aid inflows. It develops an analytical framework for examining possible policy responses to increased aid, and then applies this framework to the experience of five relatively well-governed countries that...

This paper responds to the Boards' request to present a proposal addressing country eligibility under the HIPC Initiative sunset clause and discuss related issues. It builds on an informal note to the Boards which explored a number of options to deal with the sunset clause of the HIPC...

This paper summarizes recent developments in the Doha Round negotiations, and aid for trade. As requested by the Development Committee last September, it reviews existing mechanisms for cross-country and regional aid for trade needs. It proposes possible options to overcome the coordination and...

Immediately following the effectiveness of the decisions on the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) and the Exogenous Shocks Facility (ESF), debt relief totaling SDR 2.3 billion was delivered to 19 qualifying members, including 17 countries under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor...

The table provides information on HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Country) Initiative debt relief provided by each non-Paris Club official bilateral creditor to post-completion point HIPCs. It tracks the HIPC Initiative debt relief granted by these creditors so far. The table will be updated...

This paper provides an update on the delivery of HIPC Initiative debt relief by non- Paris Club official bilateral creditors and proposes measures to increase their participation. It finds that non-Paris Club creditors have provided about one third of the total HIPC Initiative debt relief...

The paper focuses on the operational implications of high and volatile aid for the design of Fund-supported programs. It provides a conceptual framework that should guide country teams in giving advice to low-income countries on a case-by-case basis, without specific quantitative performance...

This paper contains background material to the Board paper on "Aid Inflows- The Role of the Fund and Operational Issues for Program Design." The main paper draws operational implications for program design of increased and volatile aid inflows, based on selected case studies (Annex I) and a...

Sound fiscal policies are critical for handling aid volatility as well as for making effective use of scaled-up aid and other flows. By easing resource constraints, these flows allow low-income countries (LICs) to increase spending aimed at enhancing growth and reducing poverty. Effective...