IMF Country Focus

• Netherland's Economic Outlook in Five Charts

  February 14, 2019

  

  Growth in the Netherlands has picked up and unemployment has fallen sharply in recent years. But real wage and productivity growth have been slow, possibly exacerbated by the increasing share of short-term labor contracts.

• Italy: Toward Growth, Social Inclusion, and Sustainability

  February 6, 2019

  

  A new government took office in Italy in June 2018 with the goals of jumpstarting growth, fostering social inclusion, and securing financial stability. To achieve these goals, the country needs a comprehensive reform package, alongside modest and balanced fiscal consolidation, the IMF advised in its annual review of the economy.

• Building Resilience to Natural Disasters in the Caribbean Requires Greater Preparedness

  December 10, 2018

  

  As global warming continues to increase sea-water temperatures, the Caribbean is becoming more vulnerable to frequent and damaging natural disasters. Policies that build resilience, like strengthening infrastructure, can help minimize the human and economic costs.

• How Should GCC Countries Diversify Their Economies And Promote Inclusive Growth?

  December 9, 2018

  

  Recent volatility in oil prices underscore the need for the six countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—to continue their reforms to diversify their economies and encourage strong, stable, and inclusive growth.

• Ethiopia: Remarkable Progress Over More Than a Decade

  December 4, 2018

  

  Ethiopia has built on its strong track record of development over more than a decade. Growth slowed in 2017/18, but remained high while the current account deficit continued to narrow, the IMF says in its recent report on the economic health of Ethiopia. 

• Japan's Economic Outlook in Five Charts

  November 28, 2018

  

  Japan has had an extended period of strong economic growth. On the policy front, six years of “Abenomics” saw lower fiscal deficits, near-record unemployment, and higher female labor force participation.

• Spain: Time to Strengthen Resilience, Promote Inclusive Growth

  November 21, 2018

  

  The difficult structural reforms that Spain undertook in response to the global financial crisis continue to bear fruit. But the economic recovery is maturing and new risks are clouding the medium-term outlook, says the IMF. 

• How Can Policymakers Boost Private Investment in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan?

  November 21, 2018

  

  With millions of young people entering the workforce each year, fiscal resources severely constrained, and economic risks on the rise, countries in the MENAP region are at a defining moment.

• UK's Economic Outlook in Six Charts

  November 14, 2018

  

  Growth in the United Kingdom has moderated since the 2016 Brexit referendum. An exit from the European Union without an agreement is the most significant risk to the outlook, the IMF said in its latest annual assessment of the economy.

• How the Middle East and Central Asian Countries Can Reduce Debt and Preserve Growth

  November 13, 2018

  

   “Well-designed public finance reforms can help policymakers reduce debt while preserving growth and protecting the most vulnerable,” said Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department. Read more in the latest economic outlook.

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