The staff report for the Second Review under the Policy Support Instrument (PSI) of Cape Verde discusses the macroeconomic framework and recent developments. Cape Verde’s economic program under the PSI is designed to help the country prepare for the opportunities and challenges associated...

Romania’s external position continues to improve. Inflation peaked in December 2010, and is now likely to decline. Financial market stress has remained relatively low in recent months. The current account deficit improved from 13½ percent of GDP in 2007 to about 4¼ percent of GDP in...

The performance criteria have not been met, but Executive Directors commend the government for taking corrective actions and for their commitment to maintain the pace of structural reforms. The government is urged to prepare a quality poverty reduction strategy paper as quickly as possible....

The staff report for the 2005 Article IV Consultation for Cape Verde focuses on economic developments and fiscal policy. The fiscal deficit was lower than expected, and reserve accumulation exceeded the programmed level. Cape Verde appears well positioned to attract increasing external support,...

Algeria’s 2004 Article IV Consultation reports that the fiscal expansion has contributed to job creation, but unemployment remains high. The vulnerability of public finances to oil price fluctuations has increased and monetary policy has helped to keep inflation under control. Sound...

This paper discusses Cape Verde’s Fourth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) and Request for Waiver of Performance Criteria. Economic performance in 2003 was better than programmed in many respects: real GDP growth was higher,...

This paper focuses on Pakistan’s 2004 Article IV Consultation, Ninth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), and Request for Waiver of Performance Criteria (PCs). Implementation of the PRGF program in Pakistan remains broadly on...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that real GDP growth in Nigeria accelerated in 2003 on account of sharply higher oil and gas production and continued robust growth in the non-oil economy. Owing to favorable terms-of-trade developments, the external current account deficit narrowed...

This paper examines Sri Lanka’s Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), and a Request for an Extended Arrangement. In line with the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) and building on the progress made under the Stand-By Arrangement...

This paper studies the spending and absorption of aid in PRGF-supported programs, verifies whether the use aid is programmed to be smoothed over time, and analyzes how considerations about macroeconomic stability influence the programmed use of aid. It finds that PRGF-supported programs allow...