This paper examines Rwanda’s 2002 Article IV Consultation and Requests for a New Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) Arrangement and for Additional Interim Assistance Under the Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). Rwanda’s performance under the...

Niger’s First Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, and Requests for Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria and Augmentation of Access are discussed. The sharp rise in food prices pushed up inflation in 2005, while the food shortage affected one-fourth of the...

This 2001 Article IV Consultation highlights that in recent years, economy of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has diversified from bananas into services, mainly tourism, telephone and Internet-based marketing, and offshore financial services. However, the rate of economic growth declined sharply...

This paper reviews Financial Sector Regulation and Supervision in The Bahamas. The assessment reveals that the overall regulatory structure in The Bahamas is complex, involves an excessive number of agencies, and places a considerable pressure on limited technical and financial resources....

This Selected Issues paper examines the driving factors for the broad movements of investment over the past decade in Poland. After booming for half a decade, Poland’s investment plummeted during 2001–03 and has recovered only marginally since then. The paper provides a historical...

In this paper, the following statistical data are listed in detail: savings and investment, indicators of construction activity, electricity generation, consumption, tariffs, consumer prices, estimates of population and labor force, operations of central government, detailed accounts of the...

This Selected Issues paper and Statistical Appendix addresses the question of how to interpret recent developments in the Kenyan consumer price index (CPI) properly to assess the current inflation pressure and extract signals about possible future CPI inflation trends. The paper discusses why...

This paper reviews Congo’s Performance Under the Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) and Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility. Improvements in the political environment and an increased focus on economic management since late 2002 have already led...

This Joint Staff Advisory Note (JSAN) reviews Moldova’s Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (EGPRSP) Progress Report. Moldova’s EGPRSP is an important step toward achieving sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. This JSAN highlights key characteristics...

The past decade has witnessed a progressive weakening of the Antillean economy, and prospects for a recovery depend on reinvigorating and sustaining adjustment. There is a need for more vigorous reforms, well coordinated across governments and supported by building social consensus. Fiscal...