Escaping the Resource Curse

Posted on May 16, 2012 by iMFdirect

In our study, we analyze how fiscal frameworks for resource-rich countries be made more flexible in practice from a practitioner’s perspective, proposing specific options to effectively anchor fiscal policy while allowing for a sustainable scaling up of spending in the context of increased resource revenue.

Filed under: Africa, Asia, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Employment, Fiscal policy, growth, Inequality, Investment, Latin America, Low-income countries, Middle East, Multilateral Cooperation, Politics, Public debt | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Africa and the Great Recession: Changing Times

Posted on May 14, 2012 by iMFdirect

Sub-Saharan Africa’s solid growth record has been supported by several factors, including significantly less civil conflict, the generally favorable commodity price developments benefiting Africa’s natural resource exporters; and the extensive debt relief provided to most highly-indebted poor countries. But I would ascribe key importance to sound policy choices by African governments – both in terms of pursuing appropriate macroeconomic policies and pressing ahead with important reform measures.

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Africa, Asia, Debt Relief, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Employment, Europe, growth, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, LICs, Low-income countries, recession | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Top Links from the IMF – Global and Regional Economic Analysis for April

Posted on April 22, 2012 by iMFdirect

The IMF and World Bank have just wrapped up their Spring Meetings for April, dominated by agreement on a huge boost to the anti-crisis firewall to prevent contagion in the event of a flare-up.

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Africa, Asia, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Employment, Europe, Finance, Financial Crisis, Globalization, growth, IMF, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Latin America, LICs, Low-income countries, Middle East, Public debt | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Mediocre Growth, High Risks, and The Long Road Ahead

Posted on April 17, 2012 by iMFdirect

Geopolitical tension affecting the oil market is surely a risk. The main risk remains, however, that of another acute crisis in Europe. The building of the “firewalls”, when it is completed, will represent major progress. By themselves, however, firewalls cannot solve the difficult fiscal, competitiveness, and growth issues that some of these countries face. Bad news on the macroeconomic or the political front still carries the risk of triggering the type of dynamics we saw last fall.

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Africa, Asia, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Employment, Europe, Finance, Financial Crisis, Fiscal policy, Fiscal Stimulus, Globalization, growth, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Latin America, LICs, Low-income countries, Middle East, Public debt, recession | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Going Broke? Why Pension Reforms Are Needed in Emerging Economies

Posted on April 6, 2012 by iMFdirect

Many emerging economies will need to expand their pension systems to reduce poverty among the elderly. Well designed reforms can help countries meet this objective without going broke.

Filed under: Africa, Emerging Markets, Europe, Finance, growth, Inequality, Latin America, Middle East, Public debt | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

“Macro…, what?!” The New Buzz on Financial Stability

Posted on March 23, 2012 by iMFdirect

When carefully implemented, macroprudential policy can become a cornerstone of financial stability policy. The dictionary of financial lingo has been given an important new entry.

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Africa, Asia, Debt Relief, Economic Crisis, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Europe, Finance, Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, Financial sector supervision, Fiscal policy, growth, IMF, International Monetary Fund, Latin America, Middle East, Multilateral Cooperation | Tagged: , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Youth Speaking Out

Posted on March 5, 2012 by iMFdirect

Young people, hardest hit by the global economic downturn, are speaking out and demanding change. Coming of age in the Great Recession, the world’s youth face an uncertain future, with lengthening job lines, diminished opportunities, and bleaker prospects that are taking a heavy emotional toll. The March 2012 issue of Finance & Development magazine looks at the challenges facing young people today.

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Africa, Asia, Civil Society, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Employment, Europe, Finance, Financial Crisis, Financial sector supervision, Fiscal policy, Global Governance, Globalization, growth, IMF, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Latin America, LICs, Low-income countries, Middle East, Public debt, recession | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Africa’s Growth Puzzle: Better Ways to Fill Infrastructure Gaps

Posted on February 28, 2012 by iMFdirect

The issue of reviving or maintaining economic growth is a the forefront of policymakers’ minds all around the world. Of course, the policies needed to achieve that differ from region-to-region, country-to-country.

For many countries in Africa, weak infrastructure is an obstacle to raising growth.

In a recent interview with the IMF’s Survey online magazine, Andrew Berg of the IMF’s Research Department (and one of our contributing bloggers) discusses how Africa can step up investment in its infrastructure by augmenting traditional sources of financing with foreign borrowing and private investment.

Filed under: Africa, Economic research, growth, IMF, LICs, Low-income countries, recession | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Driving the Global Economy with the Brakes On

Posted on January 24, 2012 by iMFdirect

The world recovery, which was weak in the first place, is in danger of stalling. The epicenter of the danger is Europe, but the rest of the world is increasingly affected.

Filed under: Advanced Economies, Africa, Asia, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Employment, Europe, Financial Crisis, Financial regulation, Financial sector supervision, Fiscal policy, Fiscal Stimulus, G-20, Global Governance, growth, IMF, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Latin America, Low-income countries, Middle East, Public debt, recession | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments »

Showcasing a More Confident Africa

Posted on December 16, 2011 by iMFdirect

Africa is on the move. While several other regions of the world have to address slowdown and uncertainty, many countries in Africa have been facing a contrasting challenge: to respond to the growing demand for their bountiful resources and manage rising investment in much-needed infrastructure. But at the same time, growing economic uncertainty in the world is raising concerns across the continent where vulnerability to global shocks remains high.

Filed under: Africa, Economic Crisis, Employment, Financial Crisis, growth, IMF, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Low-income countries | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

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