This study advocates the adoption of an alternative development model in Suriname. Suriname adopted a state-centered and inward-looking development model in the early 1980s, although elements of the model had been present long before that time.

Two basic factors shape private sector development in Belize. First, the population is small - only 322,000 as of mid-2008. This limits the size of the domestic market and potential economies of scale. The economy was only US$1.3 billion in 2009 and diversification is limited. The economy...

This study advocates the adoption of an alternative development model in Suriname. Suriname adopted a state-centered and inward-looking development model in the early 1980s, although elements of the model had been present long before that time.

Two basic factors shape private sector development in Belize. First, the population is small - only 322,000 as of mid-2008. This limits the size of the domestic market and potential economies of scale. The economy was only US$1.3 billion in 2009 and diversification is limited. The economy...

The purpose of the present guidelines is to help Bank teams and borrowing member countries to implement Bank actions according to the principles of the Disaster Risk Management Policy (GN-2354-5) approved February 2007. The objectives of the Policy are: (i) to provide effective and efficient...

This document is an input to the IDB country strategy with Belize for the period 2008-2012. This note assesses Belize's trade performance in the past several years, and puts forth policy recommendations for Belize to foster its export projection and competitiveness in global markets. The main...

This paper discusses the ways in which macroeconomic developments can put stress on banks, and in extreme cases lead to banking crises. These macroeconomic causes of bank vulnerability and crisis have important implications for regulatory regimes, and for macroeconomic policy itself. Much of the...

Recent financial crises and contagion call into question the wisdom of capital account liberalization. There is consensus that something is terribly wrong in the way international financial markets work for developing countries and that fixing is urgent. But what is wrong? Most views in...

The World Economic Forum (WEF) views competitiveness as the potential of a country to grow in a sustained way over the medium to long term and thus create prosperity for its citizens. The Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), developed by Professor Xavier Sala-i-Martin of Columbia University...

For women microentrepreneurs, access to financial services matters. It is critical to their ability to make productive investments in their businesses. As part of IDB's efforts to strengthen women's roles in economic development, the Women in Development Unit undertook a study to analyze the...