This paper assesses the Republic of Congo's discussions in 2013 Article IV Consultation. Though having abundance of natural resources, notably oil and iron ore, Congo has achieved limited progress in poverty alleviation, and remains vulnerable to external shocks. Weak governance and business...

The aim of this note is to help stakeholders optimize their decision-making on when, where, and how to use debt-for-development swaps ("debt swaps"), ensuring they bring the intended benefits to all parties involved. It also proposes new approaches to structure these mechanisms, making them less...

This note provides operational guidance for the use of the Sovereign Risk and Debt Sustainability Framework (SRDSF), which replaces the Debt Sustainability Framework for Market Access Countries. The SRDSF introduces improvements in organization, methodology, transparency, and communication when...

Following two years of COVID-19 challenges, Cameroon, the largest economy in the Central African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC), is facing a new policy environment. The nascent economic recovery from mid-2021, supported by higher oil prices and non-oil production, is now subject to greater...

South Sudan is a very fragile post-conflict state and one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate-driven disasters. The pandemic reversed the economic recovery that followed the 2018 peace agreement. The oil price shock from the pandemic resulted in a massive loss of revenue,...