Country Reports

September 1, 2016

Djibouti: 2015 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; and Staff Report

Description: This 2015 Article IV Consultation highlights that Djibouti’s economic growth, driven by large investment projects, continued its rapid pace in 2014. Aggregate investment reached 44 percent of GDP in 2014 and is expected to peak at 57 percent in 2015–16. GDP growth is expected to rise from 6 percent in 2014 to about 6.5 percent in 2015–16 and to 7 percent in 2017–19. Inflation is projected at 3 percent in 2015 and about 3.5 percent in 2016–18 as a large amount of infrastructure spending increases the demand for housing and services. Central bank gross foreign assets are projected to remain strong, permitting full currency board coverage over the period 2015–20.

Notes: Also Available in French

September 1, 2016

Romania: Technical Assistance Report-Enabling the Large Taxpayer Office to Reduce the Tax Gap

Description: This Technical Assistance report discusses measures for enabling Romania’s Large Taxpayer Office (LTO) to reduce the tax gap. It recommends changing the criteria for inclusion of taxpayers in the LTO so that it is primarily based on turnover. The criteria should apply to taxpayers throughout Romania and should be the primary mechanism to establish whether a taxpayer is “in or out.” It is also important to maintain or increase the current number of employees in the LTO, even though the new criteria may significantly reduce the LTO taxpayer population. Although the taxpayer population will be lower, its importance in terms of revenue that needs to be protected will increase.

Notes: Also Available in Romanian

September 1, 2016

Romania: Technical Assistance Report- Improving Compliance Risk Management of Large Taxpayers

Description: This Technical Assistance report discusses measures for improving compliance risk management of large taxpayers in Romania. The Large Taxpayer Office (LTO) Risk Management Unit needs appropriately skilled staff and good analytic facilities to identify and mitigate risks. The existing structure has too many people reporting directly to the LTO Director General. The changes in staff following restructuring will present an opportunity to renew and enhance LTO staff capabilities to better support modern risk-based methods. The risk decision making and transparency in the LTO also need to be improved to support compliance management.

Notes: Also Available in Romanian

September 1, 2016

Georgia: Technical Assessment Report-Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool-Performance Assessment Report

Description: This Technical Assistance paper discusses key findings of the assessment of the tax administration system in Georgia. Viewed overall, the Georgia Revenue Service is making good progress in implementing modern tax administration practices. Particularly evident is the innovative use of new technology in modernizing current operations. International good practices are already in place in a number of areas. For others, implementation of good practices is progressing; in some cases it has yet to be adopted. Many of the weaknesses identified in this assessment can be rectified relatively quickly, and in some areas, small changes can make a big difference to outcomes.

Notes: Full text available in Georgian.

September 1, 2016

Guatemala: 2016 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; Informational Annex

Description: This 2016 Article IV Consultation highlights that the macroeconomic performance of Guatemala has been solid. The economy grew at 4.1 percent in 2015, slightly above potential, despite a slowdown in public consumption and investment during the crisis. Private consumption was lifted by lower oil prices and strong remittances. The latter also boosted the external position, creating a comfortable reserve cushion. With inflation well anchored, monetary policy was eased to support growth. The macroeconomic outlook remains benign. Growth is set to return to its trend rate of 3.8 percent in 2016 and gradually rise to 4 percent in the medium term, reflecting the positive impact of efforts to increase transparency and efficiency in public spending.

September 1, 2016

Republic of Mozambique: Technical Assistance Report on Improving the Statement of Fiscal Risks

Description: The report aims at contributing to defining operational and concrete improvements to the structure and content of the statement of fiscal risks.

August 31, 2016

Republic of Mozambique: Technical Assistance Report on Government Finance Statistics Mission (April 18-29, 2016)

Description: This technical assistance (TA) mission on Government Finance Statistics (GFS) was conducted during April 18-29, 2016. The main purpose of the mission was to identify the sources of statistical discrepancies and provide further support to strengthen the compilation and dissemination of GFS in line with international standards set out in the Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014 (GFSM 2014).

August 26, 2016

Republic of Korea: 2016 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for the Republic of Korea

Description: This 2016 Article IV Consultation highlights that Korea’s growth has slowed after decades of impressive economic progress. The economy is facing a number of structural headwinds, including unfavorable demographic developments, heavy export reliance, pockets of corporate vulnerability, labor market distortions, lagging productivity, and high household debt. Inequality and poverty are also of concern. Growth is projected to tick up to 2.7 percent in 2016 and 3.0 percent in 2017, with inflation remaining subdued. Credit is expected to continue to grow, partly reflecting the impact of interest rate cuts, but at a slower pace consistent with the tightening of prudential measures and the envisaged moderation in construction investment after 2017.

August 26, 2016

Barbados: Selected Issues

Description: This Selected Issues paper discusses data issues and postcrisis growth in Barbados. An analysis of the data on Barbados shows very clear inconsistencies among the various measures of economic development. Although real growth seems to have evolved broadly in line with the rest of the Caribbean, nominal growth and inflation developments suggest that Barbados was hit much harder by the global financial crisis. At the same time, these data may also be misleading. Nominal GDP seems to have inadequate coverage, and inflation is much higher in Barbados than in similar economies in the region.

August 26, 2016

Barbados: 2016 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Barbados

Description: This 2016 Article IV Consultation highlights that the economy of Barbados appears to have turned a corner with a pickup in activity. Real GDP grew by 0.8 percent in 2015, underpinned by an increase in private investment and a surge in tourism arrivals, which increased by 14 percent, among the highest in the Caribbean. This boosted employment by 2 percent, while the unemployment rate fell to 11.3 percent. Inflation eased owing to lower import prices, with end-period prices falling by 2.5 percent. Net inflows in the capital and financial account fell, driven by large official amortization payments and lower foreign direct investment. As a result, net international reserves dropped to US$469 million at the end of April 2016.