Country Reports
2024
December 19, 2024
Guinea-Bissau: Seventh Review Under the Extended Credit Facility and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria and Financing Assurances Review-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Guinea-Bissau
Description: Guinea-Bissau continues to face a challenging economic and political environment. Recent downward shocks to cashew exports are adding pressures to the balance of payments and fiscal revenue. Tightening of regional financial conditions continue to raise borrowing costs. Since the political crisis in December 2023, underlying social tension has been high, and the next legislative election has been postponed to complete preparatory steps required by law. Despite these challenges, growth has been resilient, supported by strong public and private investments, and high producer prices of cashew nuts due to increased competition among exporters and strengthened securities measures. Risks to the outlook remain tilted towards the downside.
December 18, 2024
United Republic of Tanzania: Fourth Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement and First Review Under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility Arrangement -Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for the United Republic of Tanzania
Description: This paper presents IMF’s Fourth Review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement and First Review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) Arrangement for Tanzania. Economic growth momentum is picking up in 2024 with improved external and fiscal balances, low inflation within the central bank’s target, and easing pressures in the foreign exchange market. Tanzania’s economic reform program supported by the ECF arrangement remained on track. Structural reforms are essential to promote private sector development and inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth. Business reforms should focus on removing obstacles to foreign investment, simplifying the regulatory regime, enhancing governance and regulatory transparency, and improving public policy predictability. The authorities are committed to continue implementing reforms to preserve macro-financial stability, promote sustainable and inclusive growth, advance structural reforms, and address the risks and challenges associated with climate change, supported by the ECF and RSF arrangements.
December 17, 2024
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste: 2024 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report
Description: Timor-Leste has made impressive progress since independence but remains a fragile post-conflict nation with an under-diversified private sector. The economy remains highly dependent on the public sector, which has been financed primarily by proceeds from the Petroleum Fund, in which the state has invested its substantial savings from past oil and gas production. But production is dwindling and large withdrawals from the PF, should they continue, would lead to its full depletion by the end of the 2030s. Over the past decade, a high share of public spending relative to the economy has delivered only modest growth and development.
December 17, 2024
Papua New Guinea: Third Reviews under Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility and an Arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility, Request for Extension, Rephasing of Access, and Modification of Quantitative Performance Criteria, and Request for an Arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Papua New Guinea
Description: On March 22, 2023, the IMF Executive Board approved 38-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangements with Papua New Guinea to help address a protracted balance of payments need, manifested in foreign exchange shortages, and to support the authorities’ reforms to address longstanding structural impediments to inclusive growth. Despite socio-political challenges, the authorities have made progress in implementing reforms, demonstrating continued commitment to the program’s objectives.
December 17, 2024
Jordan: 2024 Article IV Consultation, Second Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility, and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Jordan
Description: Jordan continues to show resilience and maintain macro-economic stability, thanks to the authorities’ sound macro-economic policies and reforms. However, as the conflict in the region continues and widens, it is having a larger impact on Jordan’s economy than anticipated at the outset of the program.
December 17, 2024
Somalia: 2024 Article IV Consultation and Second Review Under the Extended Credit Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Somalia
Description: Economic activity has picked up in recent months, supported by a rebound in agriculture and remittances, and growth projections for 2024 and 2025 have been upgraded to 4 percent. However, the domestic security situation remains challenging and geopolitical tensions in the Horn of Africa remain elevated.
December 17, 2024
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste: Selected Issues
Description: 2024 Selected Issues
December 17, 2024
Zambia: Fourth Review Under the Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility and Financing Assurances Review-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Zambia
Description: Zambia faces a severe drought, sharply reducing agricultural and electricity output and leading to extensive load shedding. In response, the authorities expanded social cash transfers to support affected households. Multilateral financing has eased fiscal and balance of payments pressures. Despite these challenges, policy adjustment and reforms are supporting macro stability and fiscal and debt sustainability.
December 17, 2024
Republic of Armenia: Fourth Review Under the Stand-By Arrangement and Request for Modifications of Performance Criterion and Monetary Policy Consultation Clause-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director
Description: Economic activity remains strong but moderating as transitory trade, remittances, and capital flows peter out. The outlook is positive, with growth expected to reach 6.0 percent in 2024 and to converge gradually to its long-term rate. Inflation has picked up very slowly and is expected to remain below the CBA’s inflation target in the short term, weighed down by low food and energy inflation, dram appreciation, and the lagged effect of tight monetary policy. Geopolitical tensions, a slowdown in main trading partners, and a possible reversal of capital flows remain the main risks to the outlook.