The paper discusses key findings of the Fourth Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) for the Kyrgyz Republic. Output is rebounding and inflation remains subdued. However, most end-December 2006 and end-March 2007 structural benchmarks have been missed, partly because of...

This 2007 Article IV Consultation highlights that aided by favorable external conditions and an improvement in macroeconomic management, Suriname’s economic performance has improved in recent years. Since 2002, the central government deficit has declined sharply, leading to a substantial...

Spain’s 2007 Article IV Consultation underlies that immediate growth prospects are bright and the central scenario is for a smooth landing but with appreciable downside risks. The Spanish economy enjoyed another year of remarkable growth in 2006, further extending its prolonged expansion....

This paper examines Gabon’s request for a Stand-By Arrangement in support of its economic program. The arrangement provides access at 50 percent of quota. Given its strong balance of payments position, it intends to treat the arrangement as precautionary. Gabon is ineligible for support under...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes the underlying factors that explain the behavior of the Kiwi dollar. The findings suggest that the factors influencing the New Zealand dollar have been changing. The paper discusses that as New Zealand has become more integrated in global capital markets over...

Papua New Guinea’s 2005 Article IV Consultation reports that the economy continues to perform well as the recovery maintains its momentum and the authorities adhere to disciplined fiscal and monetary policies. The central government budget has been estimated to be once more in surplus in 2005,...

The objective for net foreign assets was discussed in this paper. Macroeconomic performance under the PRGF arrangement was broadly discussed. Several developments during the second half of 2005/2006 required the authorities to strengthen financial management controls and to make other policy...

For more than a decade, growth in Germany has been subdued and uneven. This paper introduces the stylized facts pertaining to the strength in exports, the weakness in domestic demand, and the surge in the current account. It discusses the adjustment undertaken in the private sector and its...

Although Armenia itself has a population of only about 3 million, an estimated 8 million Armenians live abroad. In this paper, the size and the sources of remittances to Armenia are first discussed. Then, the appropriate definition of remittances and subsequently present estimates of the...

Armenia’s economy continues to perform strongly. Prudent fiscal and monetary policies and ongoing structural reforms have contributed to double-digit growth in a low-inflation environment, a continued reduction in poverty, and a notable improvement in tax performance. The Poverty Reduction and...