Country Reports
2013
July 23, 2013
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Joint Staff Advisory Note
Description: This Joint Advisory Note on the Democratic Republic of the Congo discusses economic growth and employment-creating sectors. The agriculture and mining sectors are projected to continue their expansion, while simultaneously raising labor productivity and freeing up labor. The urban population is expected to reach 40 million by 2025, up from an estimated 24 million in 2012. Some of these urban centers will function as service centers for rural areas, but they will be increasingly integrated with international markets through formal and informal trade, partly as a result of better telecommunications. The government’s objective is to boost mining output, and the sector’s contribution to fiscal revenues requires an increase in foreign investment, an improvement in the business climate, and a strengthening of governance.
Notes: Also available in French
July 23, 2013
Republic of Kosovo: Selected Issues Paper
Description: This Selected Issues paper on the Republic of Kosovo’s 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights growth and Kosovo’s external environment. In the wake of the global financial crisis, Kosovo’s economic growth slowed but remained positive, while most other Western Balkans slipped into recession. Moreover, the annual average growth rate has been among the highest in the Western Balkans since the onset of the financial crisis in 2007. Kosovo’s tax-to-GDP ratio is comparable to the average of Southeastern Europe, although its tax system relies significantly more on indirect taxation—including a high share of trade taxes. Kosovo’s reliance on trade taxes may create budgetary pressures in the event of further trade liberalization.
July 19, 2013
Uganda: 2013 Article IV Consultation and Sixth Review Under the Policy Support Instrument, Request for a Three-Year Policy Support Instrument and Cancellation of Current Policy Support Instrument—Staff Report;Public Information Notice and Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Uganda
Description: This paper focuses on Uganda’s 2013 Article IV Consultation and Sixth Review Under the Policy Support Instrument, Request for a Three-Year Policy Support Instrument and cancellation of Current Policy Support Instrument. Driven mainly by investment and trade, growth has recovered to about 5 percent, a stronger than expected rebound from the low 3½ percent expansion registered last year. Fast implementation of road construction, the start of operations of the Bujagali hydropower plant, and a good harvest boosted aggregate demand. Envisaged public finance management reforms are set to address the problems of persistent under budgeting, arrears accumulation, and failure to sanction financial irregularities.
July 19, 2013
Iraq: 2013 Article IV Consultation
Description: This staff report on Iraq’s 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights economic policies and development. Risks to the macroeconomic outlook remain high. The risks can translate into lower oil revenues, deterioration in the fiscal position, pressures to use Central Bank of Iraq reserves for fiscal purposes leading to depreciation pressures, and higher inflation. Policies to mitigate their impact include strengthening fiscal institutions and oil revenue management, improving monetary policy transmission, and reducing the economy’s dependence on the oil sector. The authorities depend solely on fiscal policy to address these vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for the authorities to urgently build up sufficient fiscal buffers, since Iraq’s fiscal and external performance is very sensitive to fluctuations in oil prices.
Notes: Also Available in Arabic
July 19, 2013
Iraq: Selected Issues
Description: This Selected Issues paper on Iraq discusses medium-term projections for oil production and exports. Constraints to oil export volumes arise from export bottlenecks and technical production issues. Production is held back by technical challenges such as the need for water injection in the southern oil fields and limited supply of electricity, of which the oil industry is one of the main consumers. Export infrastructure has suffered during many years of decay owing to sanctions and wars. The Iraqi crude is priced as an average of a benchmark oil price for 15 or 30 days from the bill of lading.
Notes: Also Available in Arabic
July 19, 2013
Saudi Arabia: Financial Sector Assessment Program Update—Detailed Assessment of Observance of the Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision
Description: This paper focuses on Saudi Arabia’s Detailed Assessment of Observance of the Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision. The banking sector is fairly concentrated around a few banks. The seven largest banks have a combined share of assets of 85 percent. The three largest banks have a combined share of about 45 percent, and the next four each have market shares exceeding 5 percent. The dominant shareholders of the three largest banks are government entities, the fourth largest is linked to a family business group, and the next three have ties to major international banks. Saudi Arabia implements International Financial Reporting Standards for banks, and insurance companies, and is served by the major accounting firms.
July 19, 2013
Saudi Arabia: Financial Sector Assessment Program Update—Detailed Assessment of Observance of the CPSS Core Principles for Systemically Important Payment Systems
Description: This paper highlights the Saudi Arabia’s Detailed Assessment of Observance of the Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems Core Principles for systemically important payment systems. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) is working to establish its payment system oversight function from an operational perspective. The power of SAMA to oversee the payment systems is stated in the central bank and banking laws. The powers of the central bank to operate, regulate, and oversee the payment systems are not detailed in the law and could be also covered by the proposed Payment System Law. Many critical aspects relating to the payment and securities settlement systems are covered in the legal framework.
July 19, 2013
Saudi Arabia: Financial Sector Assessment Program Update—Detailed Assessment of Observance of the IOSCO Objectives and Principles of Securities Regulation
Description: This paper discusses Saudi Arabia’s Detailed Assessment of the Observance of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) objectives and principles of securities regulation. The Capital Market Authority (CMA) has made significant progress in establishing its supervision credentials, including issuing implementing regulations. The CMA has also entered into information sharing arrangements with other regulators in the region, and is a party to the IOSCO Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Consultation, and Cooperation, and the Exchange of Information. The equity market in Saudi Arabia is of significant size, but has undergone significant change following the events of 2006 and the establishment of the CMA.
July 17, 2013
People's Republic of China: 2013 Article IV Consultation
Description: This staff report on People’s Republic of China 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights macroeconomic developments and outlook. China has maintained robust growth since the global crisis, but the heavy reliance on credit and investment to sustain activity is raising vulnerabilities. The consequence is a steady build-up of leverage that is eroding the strength of the financial sector, local government, and corporate balance sheets. This is most apparent in the continued rapid expansion in total social financing. The development of nontraditional finance marks a shift to more market-based intermediation, and the migration of activity to less-regulated parts of the system poses risks to financial stability.
Notes: Also available in Chinese
July 17, 2013
United Kingdom: 2013 Article IV Consultation
Description: This staff report on United Kingdom’s (UK) 2013 Article IV Consultation highlights economic policies and development. The UK economy grew by about ¼ percent in 2012. Net trade reduced growth by 0.6 percentage points of GDP, the biggest drag since 2005, and well above staff projections. Domestic fixed capital investment was essentially flat, leaving household spending the main source of private demand, but still substantially below long-run potential growth. In terms of production, construction has been particularly affected by the financial crisis, and the mining sector has been experiencing a secular decline, accelerated in part by temporary shutdowns in North Sea oil extraction.