A current account deficit is sustainable when its underlying drivers support a smooth correction in the future. It is unsustainable when symptomatic of macroeconomic imbalances that would eventually trigger disruptive adjustments. Although a current account deficit in itself is neither good nor...

Will the revolution in digital and information technologies make us obsolete? Will jobs be lost and never replaced? Will wages drop to intolerable levels? History and economic theory and evidence suggest that in the long term, such fears are misplaced. However, in the short and medium term,...

The pros and cons of making data more accessible to the public have been widely debated. Proponents of open data argue that it is good practice for governments because it fosters transparency, promotes greater participation, and encourages sharing of ideas, which is important in building a...

Moderate and gradual changes of the real exchange rate are beneficial for the economy to help it attain domestic and external equilibrium. They should not be feared. However, large and sharp devaluations can lead to insolvency and even systemic crisis. They should be prevented by macroprudential...

One of the most important lessons in economics is that productivity is key to economic growth. Productivity is defined in economic theory as the ratio of output over input. Productivity is mainly driven by four components: innovation, including the creation of new technologies: education to...

This note considers the most relevant literature and contends that, even if the ?middle income trap? is myth, it provides impetus for policy makers to reassess their strategies once the traditional sources of economic growth have diminished. Middle-income countries must find drivers of...

In a typical developing country, about 70 percent of workers and 30 percent of production are informal. Informality is a cause and a consequence of the lack of economic and institutional development. It implies productive inefficiency and a culture of evasion and noncompliance. Informality,...

Universal health coverage is a social goal that enables everyone to receive the quality health care they need, irrespective of ability to pay, without suffering financial hardship in the process. To move toward that goal, policy makers should address three main considerations: the population to...

Growth in global trade has been slow since 2012. While global trade downturns are not unprecedented, the observed change in the relationship of trade to GDP poses the question whether the trade slowdown is a transitory deviation or a more long-lasting phenomenon brought about by structural...

In developing countries, structural transformation started much later, mostly in the 1900s. The structural transformation of the agricultural sector has been characterized by the relative decline of basic agriculture; the rising importance of agribusiness, which includes the value added for...