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The book explores the historical development and status of political and economic institutions in The Caribbean. The Caribbean institutional reality is studied vis-à-vis best international practices. The main objective is identifying positive aspects and institutional areas in need of improvement that could facilitate a sustainable development path in The Caribbean.
This paper reviews some early interim and full PRSPs for countries with which the authors worked during 1999-2000 (Uganda, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mali and The Gambia). The purpose of the review is to compare and contrast how the PRSP process was established there. It finds that rapid progress was made in implementing the initiative in all the countries, increasing commitment to poverty reduction amongst government and donors and encouraging broader participation in the policy dialogue. However, there was considerable variation between the cases, reflecting different local contexts and capacities.
Monetary policy has become increasingly important in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as fiscal adjustment and structural reforms have taken root. Inflation has been brought down to relatively low levels in almost all of these countries, raising the question of what should be the appropriate nominal anchor at this stage. Formally, almost all CIS countries have floating exchange rate regimes, yet in practice they manage their exchange rates very heavily, perhaps because of high levels of dollarization (i.e., they suffer from "fear of floating"). This paper explores the issues underlying the choice of a nominal anchor in CIS countries and seeks to assess whether the present mixed regime will prove durable.
This paper examines market liberalization policies in a reforming socialist economy. The aim of this paper is to develop a model of such a reforming socialist economy and to explore the consequences of market-oriented policies in the context of such an economy. A model of a socialist economy is presented, incorporating bargaining over wages and employment in the socialized sector and shortages that are reflected in the black market. The model is used to analyze the implications of liberalization policies, including trade liberalization, an administered price increase, and provisions allowing for increased direct foreign investment. The nonsocialized sector is perfectly competitive and produces an output that is different from that of the socialized sector. It has a neoclassical production function using a sector-specific input (say, capital) and labor. The results suggest that reforms may have different effects under different trade regimes and that small price reforms may have perverse effects.
This 2003 Article IV Consultation states that Belarus made noticeable progress in some areas of economic reform over the past several years, but overall macroeconomic performance in 2002 was mixed. Inflation in 2002 was the lowest since Belarus became independent, yet it remains the highest in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Under current policies, the outlook for 2003 is broadly similar to the outcome for 2002. Inflation is expected at about 27 percent, and real GDP growth is likely to slow modestly to about 4 percent.
This 2005 Article IV Consultation highlights that Dominica is recovering from the aftermath of an economic and financial crisis in 2001–02 when output contracted by 10 percent. The reform strategy has been successful. Economic growth has recovered to more than 3 percent a year and is set to record the second straight year of above average growth in 2005. Inflation declined in 2004 and remains subdued in 2005 despite the higher energy prices. Reflecting strong fiscal consolidation and a collaborative debt restructuring agreement, public finances are now on a firmer footing.
Political instability and weak macroeconomic management have generated negative real per capita gross domestic product growth rates, contributing to widespread poverty and a worsening of social indicators. The challenge is to attain a higher rate of growth on a sustained basis and raise the living standards of the Comorian population. Measures to improve revenue mobilization and reduce nonpriority expenditures are required. Executive Directors commend the steps taken by the authorities to improve the prudential regulations and internal controls of the central bank of Comoros.
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Lithuania showed strong economic growth with low inflation owing to its sound economic policies. Executive Directors commended this development, and appreciated Lithuania for signing the European Union Accession Treaty. They encouraged the authorities to maintain macroeconomic stability and accelerate structural reforms. They welcomed the efforts of the Bank of Lithuania to implement Financial Sector Assessment Program recommendations. They emphasized the need for energy and transport privatization, the modernization of the agriculture sector, and streamlining of the legal framework to enhance transparency, governance, and the overall business environment.
This paper discusses key findings of the Sixth and Final Review Under the Stand-By Arrangement for Paraguay. The program remains broadly on track. All performance criteria for end-March 2008 were met, and those for end-June 2008 are expected to have been observed. With one exception, all structural benchmarks for 2008 are expected to be implemented, albeit with delays. The economy grew 63⁄4 percent in 2007 and is expected to continue expanding at least 5 percent in 2008 driven by strong agricultural exports.