Country Reports
2014
March 28, 2014
Pakistan: Second Review Under the Extended Arrangement and Request for Waivers of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria
Description: This paper assesses Pakistan’s Second Review Under the Extended Arrangement and Request for Waivers of Non-Observance of Performance Criteria. Discussions focused on progress in addressing the main macroeconomic challenges facing the country and remedial actions to meet missed performance criteria. Pakistan’s economic growth is expected to remain modest with GDP growth forecast revised upward to 3.1 percent. The IMF report highlights that the preliminary data for the first quarter of FY13/14 showed 5 percent growth, mainly driven by services and manufacturing.
March 27, 2014
St. Kitts and Nevis: Staff Report for the 2014 Article IV Consultation and the Seventh and Eighth Reviews Under the Stand-by Arrangement and Request for Waivers of Applicability and Nonobservance of Performance Criterion
Description: This paper elaborates 2014 Article IV Consultation, Seventh and Eight Reviews Under the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA), and Request for Waivers of Applicability and Non-Observance of Performance Criterion for St. Kitts and Nevis. The discussions focus on strategies to secure sustainable growth through enhancing tourism, developing cost-effective energy sources, and improving the business environment. It states that the authorities’ commitment to their program is reflected in the 2014 budget, and their plans to save the bulk of the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) application fees.
March 25, 2014
Jamaica: Third Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria
Description: This paper presents Jamaica’s Third Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria report. The IMF staff report highlights that recent data is in-line with GDP growth of some 1 percent in 2013–2014. Inflation has increased since 2012 due to the depreciation of the exchange rate as well as higher administered prices, but has moderated in recent months. The policy agenda under the program is now shifting to reforms in several areas including tax and customs administration, public financial management, securities dealers, the framework for monetary policy, and the business environment.
March 21, 2014
West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): Staff Report on Common Policies for Member Countries
Description: This West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) IMF staff report focuses on common policies for member countries. The region continued to experience a strong upswing in 2013, and the immediate outlook is for further vigorous growth and moderate inflation. Delays in implementing reforms, at both the national and regional levels, are the principal medium-term risk. It highlights that with continued strong growth projected for the region, countries are encouraged to seek opportunities to strengthen fiscal sustainability while maintaining public investment efforts.
Notes: Also available in French
March 19, 2014
Angola: Second Post-Program Monitoring
Description: This paper reviews Angola’s Second Post-Program Monitoring for different economic developments and policies. The IMF report highlights that Angola has returned to a path of solid economic growth, with single-digit inflation, a strong international reserves position, and a stable exchange rate. Growth has slowed to 4 percent in 2013, but is expected to increase to 5 percent in 2014 as oil production recovers. It outlines that Angola’s capacity to repay the fund remains strong, but the macroeconomic framework and institutional setting should be strengthened to facilitate the process of rebuilding external and fiscal buffers.
Notes: Also Available in Portuguese
March 19, 2014
Albania: Staff Report for the 2013 Article IV Consultation and Request for Extended Arrangement
Description: This 2013 Article IV Consultation for Albania focuses on economic developments and policies that have led to weakening and imbalance of the economy. It highlights that high nonperforming loans (NPLs) are constraining credit growth, and weak external drivers are preventing a sustained reduction in external imbalances. Reduction in NPLs would safeguard financial stability and help release credit supply constraints by lowering bank risk aversion. The authorities have requested a three-year arrangement with proposed access equivalent to SDR 295.42 million.
March 19, 2014
Burundi: Fourth Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement
Description: Burundi’s Fourth Review Under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement is discussed. The measures undertaken to enhance fiscal outlook by the 2015 elections are reviewed. Satisfactory progress has been made on structural reforms. Policy discusses have focused on reinvigorating program implementation after the difficulties in completing the third review under the ECF arrangement. The IMF staff recommends the completion of the fourth review under the ECF arrangement, setting of new performance and indicative criteria for September 2014, and the disbursement of SDR 5 million.
Notes: Also available in French
March 19, 2014
Albania: Financial System Stability Assessment
Description: This paper discusses the Financial System Stability Assessment report on Albania. The IMF report states that the Albanian economy is weak, macroeconomic imbalances are large, and the financial sector faces several risks. Capital-to-asset ratios are sizable, but banks hold large amounts of government bonds that expose banks to sizeable losses in case of a sovereign debt re-pricing and balance sheets have deteriorated as a result of a rapid increase of nonperforming loans (NPLs). The authorities have taken steps to reduce the existing stock of NPLs with technical assistance from the World Bank.
March 18, 2014
Malaysia: Selected Issues
Description: This Selected Issues paper on Malaysia highlights quantitative assessment of additional measures required during the medium term to achieve fiscal targets. The authorities aim to lower the budget deficit to about 3 percent of GDP by 2015, down from 4.0 percent in 2013, and to balance the budget by 2020. It suggests that ranking fiscal instruments under different fiscal policy goals can help policymakers identify the composition of fiscal adjustment based on their preferences. By combining ranking with the instruments’ potential yield helps in identifying the optimal set of measures required to achieve the needed fiscal adjustment.
March 14, 2014
Malaysia: Staff Report for the 2013 Article IV Consultation
Description: The IMF staff report for the 2013 Article IV Consultation focuses on Malaysia’s economic developments and policies. The IMF report discusses that continued growth in domestic demand, especially investment, and a pickup in external demand should help maintain robust growth going forward despite the fiscal tightening. Amidst concerns about Malaysia’s public finances and sharp narrowing of the external surplus in spring–summer of 2013, authorities have taken timely action to secure fiscal sustainability and assure markets. It suggests that authorities’ decisions in 2013 are close to a fiscal policy breakthrough aiming to contain federal debt and related fiscal risks.