Books
2005
February 7, 2005
Postconflict Economics in Sub-Saharan Africa, Lessons from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Description: The Democratic Republic of the Congo is making significant strides on both the political and economic fronts to extricate itself from one of the bloodiest wars in African history. This remarkable turnaround offers other countries and the international community valuable lessons in preventing conflict and in coping with postconflict recovery. This book also provides a summary of the most recent research on conflict, an analysis of the causes of conflicts in Africa, and an outline of their key economic characteristics.
2004
December 13, 2004
Economic Theory and Financial Policy: Selected Essays of Jacques J. Polak, 1994-2004
Description: This paper describes the essence of the Bretton Woods conference. The Bretton Woods conference was one of a number of inter-allied conferences in the later part of World War II that led to the creation of a new international organization. The point of this paper is not to defend the Bretton Woods agreements of 1944, but rather to stress the continuity of the IMF’s mandate to promote monetary cooperation among countries. The paper also draws lessons for the future from the work of the IMF in the 1960s and 1970s.
November 19, 2004
The Macroeconomics of HIV/AIDS
Description: This paper analyzes the macroeconomics of HIV/AIDS. The paper highlights that the mortality and morbidity associated with AIDS make it unlike most other types of sickness and disease. The paper describes the most common approaches used in accounting for growth in the context of an HIV/AIDS epidemic. The impact of HIV/AIDS on education and the accumulation of human capital is discussed. The paper also discusses the impact of HIV/AIDS on the public sector, and elaborates certain demographic events specific to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
September 17, 2004
Helping Countries Develop: The Role of Fiscal Policy
Description: Fiscal policy can foster growth and human development through a number of different channels. These include the macroeconomic (for example, through the influence of the budget deficit on growth) as well as the microeconomic (through its influence on the efficiency of resource use). But how precisely do these channels work in developing countries? What kinds of tax and expenditure policies should developing countries implement to help them meet the Millennium Development Goals? And how can international aid be made more effective? Drawing on both theory and country experience, this book brings together IMF research on the various ways fiscal policy can be used to help spur economic development.
August 30, 2004
The Macroeconomy of Central America
Description: Opportunities for growth and investment in Central America could well improve in the coming years, as the region’s ties with the world economy grow closer. This integration, however, also presents important challenges for economic policy to ensure that growth can be sustained and can benefit the poor. This book stresses the importance of keeping fiscal policy on a sustainable path; strengthening public investment in basic infrastructure, primary health care, and primary and secondary education; and managing the risks associated with partial dollarization.
April 16, 2004
Taxing the Financial Sector: Concepts, Issues, and Practice
Description: One of the most complex issues in tax policy today is the treatment of the institutions, products, and services that make up the financial sector. It can be harder to ascertain income, expenses, and profits for financial firms than for firms selling goods and services, and it is easier for individuals and firms to manipulate financial transactions so as to exploit tax loopholes. This volume explores the challenges faced by tax policymakers and identifies modern best practices in several areas: banks, insurance companies, securities companies, investment funds, pension funds, and derivatives.
2003
November 5, 2003
Who Will Pay? Coping with Aging Societies, Climate Change, and Other Long-Term Fiscal Challenges
Description: Aging populations. Weather shocks. Scarce water. Globalization. Security threats. Policymakers today confront a number of developments that threaten to burden public budgets for decades to come, or bankrupt some entirely. This book argues that governments need to make policy changes now to take account of the potential fiscal consequences of these developments. After describing how, if at all, analysts, national governments, and international organizations currently address these long-term issues, the book stresses the vital need for a multipronged approach, involving strengthened analyses, greater attention to long-term issues and risk factors in budgeting, and institutional reforms that address the myopic biases of politicians and the public.
October 29, 2003
Foreign Direct Investment Statistics: How Countries Measure FDI 2001
Description: International standards for measuring foreign direct investment (FDI) have become important in today’s global economy, where multinational enterprises exercise economic clout and FDI statistics can reflect investor sentiment about the climate of investment in a country. This joint IMF/OECD report assesses progress toward standardization in the compilation of FDI statistics and provides information on statistical methodologies in 61 countries. The report is based on data from the 2001 update of the joint IMF/OECD Survey of Implementation of Methodological Standards for Direct Investment (SIMSDI), which covers 30 OECD countries and 31 other IMF member countries
September 9, 2003
Russia Rebounds
Description: Russia Rebounds analyzes Russia’s dramatic economic recovery since the country’s 1998 financial crisis, emphasizing macroeconomic issues and fiscal and banking sector reforms. The crisis was a massive shock to the system and a considerable surprise to both Russians and foreign investors, who a year before had come to think that the worst of the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy was over. Macroeconomic performance since the crisis has been impressive. The book assesses the contribution of various factors underlying this recovery and highlights key policy challenges to ensure its sustainability.
August 22, 2003
Central Banking Legislation Volume 2: A Collection of Central Bank, Monerary and Bankin Law, Volume II
Description: This paper discusses the central banking, monetary, and banking laws for 17 countries in Europe, an area where many of the techniques that are now universally used in regulating or controlling the supply of money and credit were developed. The complete text of the basic central bank law of each country is given, as well as the by-laws of the central bank where they supplement major provisions of the basic law, and subsidiary legislation where pertinent. General banking laws are in most instances presented in summary form.