Despite good economic reforms, macroeconomic stability, and a major expansion of the hydrocarbon sector, Bolivia still achieved only modest gains in poverty reduction. Executive Directors stressed the importance of fiscal prudence, domestic taxation, and strengthening of public expenditure...

This paper investigates empirically the sources of aggregate output growth and the determinants of total factor productivity (TFP) in Niger between 1963 and 2003. A growth accounting analysis indicates that the erosion in output per capita over the sample period is due to the negative growth of...

This paper discusses Cape Verde’s Fifth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Cape Verde’s economic and policy performance is largely on track vis-à-vis the PRGF objectives. All quantitative and structural performance criteria for...

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country.

This paper examines Sierra Leone’s 2004 Article IV Consultation, the Fifth Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), and Requests for Waiver of Performance Criteria. Growth prospects in the medium term are encouraging, largely based on some mining projects coming to...

The Eighth and Final Review under the Stand-By Arrangement discusses policies and reforms undertaken by the Sri Lankan authorities. 2012 has shown robust growth in GDP supported by increased agricultural and construction activity. However, a weakening global demand has been an impediment to real...

The economic recovery in Côte d’Ivoire is crucial to growth throughout the subregion. The fiscal results and mobilized domestic financing enabled the authorities to make payments to the World Bank and AfDB and reduce domestic arrears. Reporting on quasi-fiscal cocoa levies has improved....

Several models establish a positive association between public debt ratios and long-term real yields, but the empirical evidence is not always conclusive. We reconsider this issue, focusing in particular on possible spillover effects of large advanced economies' debt levels to other economies'...

This paper presents an Ex Post Assessment of Longer-Term Program Engagement for Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone has had almost continuous involvement with IMF programs since 1994 under a variety of arrangements. All the IMF-supported programs in Sierra Leone during 1994–2004 had the same...