Country Reports
2017
July 13, 2017
Rwanda: Selected Issues
Description: This Selected Issues paper analyzes investment strategy to foster structural transformation in Rwanda. Over the past 15 years, Rwanda has transformed its economy by moving workers out of agriculture into mostly services and some industry. This has been accomplished through strong public investment flows and efficient public investment management. Going forward, the challenge is whether the private sector can complement the infrastructure assets put in place by the public sector and maintain economic momentum. It will also require continued effort by the government in raising education standards, better matching qualifications offered to students to those most in demand by employers, and lowering electricity and transportation costs.
July 13, 2017
Brazil: 2017 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Brazil
Description: This 2017 Article IV Consultation highlights that Brazil’s deep recession appears close to an end. The recession, triggered by large macroeconomic imbalances and a loss of confidence, was exacerbated by declining terms of trade, tight financing conditions, and a political crisis. Growth is projected to be 0.3 percent in 2017 and 1.3 percent in 2018, moving toward 2 percent in the medium term. Inflation is projected to undershoot its central target of 4.5 percent in 2017 and 2018. The forecast assumes that a sufficiently strong set of measures are put in place to ensure fiscal sustainability. Political instability and spillovers from the corruption investigation are major sources of risk that could threaten the reform agenda and the recovery.
July 13, 2017
Brazil: Selected Issues
Description: This Selected Issues paper examines the proximate causes of dramatic fall in investment in Brazil and the prospects for investment going forward. A variety of factors contributed to the investment decline, including deterioration in Brazil’s medium-term growth prospects, rising real interest rates, falling terms of trade, rising uncertainty related to economic policy, rising levels of corporate leverage and lower cash flow. Some of the factors that have weighed on investment over recent years have begun to normalize providing some impetus for a recovery. However, still-high levels of corporate leverage and the prospect of continued uncertainty related to economic policy settings suggest a turnaround in investment is likely to be subdued.
July 13, 2017
Pakistan: 2017 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; Informational Annex; and Statement by the Executive Director for Pakistan
Description: This 2017 Article IV Consultation highlights that Pakistan’s outlook for economic growth is favorable. Real GDP is estimated at 5.3 percent in FY2016/17 and strengthening to 6 percent over the medium term on the back of stepped-up China Pakistan Economic Corridor investments, improved availability of energy, and growth-supporting structural reforms. Inflation has been gradually increasing but remains contained, and the financial sector has remained sound. Key external risks include lower trading partner growth, tighter international financial conditions, a faster rise in international oil prices, and over the medium term, failure to generate sufficient exports to meet rising external obligations from large-scale foreign-financed investments.
July 13, 2017
Pakistan: Selected Issues
Description: This Selected Issues paper provides an overview of social safety nets (SSNs) in Pakistan and uses a frontier analysis approach to assess their efficiency in reducing poverty and inequality. SSNs in Pakistan were significantly strengthened over time but remain small against regional and emerging markets’ averages. The analysis suggests that stepping up public expenditure in SSNs is needed to alleviate still high poverty and inequality. To this end, finalizing the update of the Benazir Income Support Program beneficiaries’ database, broadening its coverage, and stepping up educational transfers is key. In parallel, continuing the energy subsidies reform would create fiscal space to strengthen SSNs and priority social spending.
July 13, 2017
Canada: 2017 Article IV Consultation-Press Release and Staff Report
Description: This 2017 Article IV Consultation highlights that Canadian economy has regained momentum, supported by the authorities’ pro-active growth strategy, but complex adjustments are still at play. Although personal consumption is robust, business investment remains weak, nonenergy exports have underperformed, and housing market imbalances have risen. Externally, the global outlook has improved, but uncertainty surrounding global trade and risks of economic fragmentation may negatively affect the durability of the Canadian recovery. A strong United States economy, expansionary fiscal and monetary policy, and stable oil prices are expected to lift real GDP growth to 2.5 percent in 2017 and 1.9 percent in 2018. Residential construction is expected to expand at a more moderate pace, reflecting tighter macroprudential measures.
July 13, 2017
Canada: Selected Issues and Analytical Notes
Description: This paper describes the proposed Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) that will be allocated Can$35 billion over an 11-year period. It will add to, and not replace, existing methods of financing public infrastructure at all levels of government, including the Federal Government’s Can$187 billion Investing in Canada plan covering 12 years. The CIB will be a wholly government-owned Crown corporation, subject to provisions of the Financial Administration Act (FAA), including the requirement to prepare a corporate plan, operating budget, and capital budget, for approval by the Government. The CIB and its investments will be on the federal government’s balance sheet. However, the infrastructure-related special purpose vehicles (SPVs) in which the CIB invests will not be on the government’s balance sheet. Attracting private capital requires offering a rate of return acceptable to the investor. Worldwide, there are trillions of dollars looking for safe returns over the long-term. The risk-adjusted rate of return sufficient to attract an investor is not known with precision ex-ante. Investors will seek the highest rate of return possible above its minimum threshold.
July 12, 2017
Uganda: 2017 Article IV Consultation and Eighth Review Under the Policy Support Instrument-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Uganda
Description: This 2017 Article IV Consultation highlights that Uganda’s recent economic performance has been sound, notwithstanding a slowdown in growth. Real GDP growth is estimated to have slowed to 3.9 percent in FY2016/17, reflecting domestic factors and external headwinds, including the drought in the Horn of Africa. The banking sector remains well-capitalized overall. However, elevated nonperforming loans have constrained bank lending which contributed to the growth slowdown. Food price inflation increased owing to the drought, but core inflation was 5.1 percent in May 2017, in line with the Bank of Uganda’s target. The outlook is broadly favorable. With steadfast policy implementation and assuming improved weather conditions, growth could accelerate to 5 percent in FY2017/18.
July 12, 2017
Mali: Seventh Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement, and Request for Extension and Augmentation of Access-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Mali
Description: This paper discusses Mali’s Seventh Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement, and Request for Extension of Augmentation of Access. Program implementation is broadly satisfactory but the external position remains difficult and fiscal challenges are mounting. All December 2016 quantitative targets were met. Delays were recorded in the implementation of structural reforms but the authorities have since taken corrective measures. For 2017, expenditures will exceed previously programmed levels to address new security needs as well as costs associated with the decentralization. The IMF staff supports the authorities’ request for an augmentation of access equivalent to 13.6 percent of quota in 2017 and extension of the program through 2018.
July 12, 2017
Uganda: Selected Issues
Description: This Selected Issues paper describes Uganda’s experience under the 2013 Policy Support Instrument (PSI). The current 2013 PSI was approved by the IMF’s Executive Board in June 2013 with an initial duration of three years. Overall, performance under this PSI has been assessed to be satisfactory. Most quantitative assessment criteria were met, and macroeconomic stability maintained. However, the pace of structural reforms slowed down compared with the past, and only about half of the structural benchmarks were ultimately met. The experience shows the importance of ensuring commitment to the reforms, explaining them better, and getting broad-based buy-in to achieve progress.