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Business and Economics > Finance: General

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Cover Technical Assistance Reports
Namibia: Technical Assistance Report-Retail Central Bank Digital Currency Exploration and Roadmap
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
The Bank of Namibia (BON) explored the potential of Retail Central Bank Digital Currency (rCBDC). The key drivers included promoting financial inclusion, modernizing financial system modernization, as well as improving cross-border payments. The technical assistance (TA) mission aimed to provide the groundwork for a feasibility study of rCBDC and to draft a rCBDC exploration roadmap for the BON. The mission analyzed Namibia’s payment systems and financial inclusion and assessed the potential value propositions and drawbacks of rCBDC. Additionally, the mission evaluated the implications of rCBDC for monetary policy and financial stability, while assessing the BoN’s foundational requirements. Finally, the mission helped draft a rCBDC exploration roadmap, intending to foster a cohesive and coordinated approach for the BoN and external stakeholders. The mission’s findings will inform the development of the BoN's rCBDC position paper.
Keywords:
CBDC; central bank digital currency; rCBDC; retail CBDC; retail central bank digital currency; financial inclusion; payment systems; CBDC exploration; cross-border payments; Namibia.; BoN's participation; IMF's Monetary; BoN's staff capability; rCBDC exploration roadmap; central bank staff; request of the Bank of Namibia; Digital financial services; Central Bank digital currencies; Currencies; Sub-Saharan Africa; Africa; Global
Cover High-Level Summary Technical Assistance Reports
Namibia: Retail Central Bank Digital Currency Exploration and Roadmap
Tansaya Kunaratskul
,
Qiuyun Shang
,
Anrich Denver Daseman
,
Frankosiligi Solomon
,
Victor Budau
,
Maria Fernanda Chacon Rey
, and
Carl-Andreas Claussen
At the request of the Bank of Namibia (BoN), an IMF mission team conducted a technical assistance (TA) from January 15 to February 1, 2024. The mission assisted the authorities in establishing the groundwork for a feasibility study of a retail central bank digital currency (rCBDC) and drafting a roadmap for the BoN's CBDC exploration. The mission also reviewed requirements for rCBDC issuance, including institutional capacity, technology, cybersecurity, and legal foundations. The mission recommended the BoN assess how rCBDC can improve the payment systems and financial inclusion in Namibia compared to alternative solutions. The authorities are advised to establish a compelling rationale for rCBDC before embarking on a more resource-intensive undertaking. The mission suggested that the BoN continue developing expertise and capacity in rCBDC across policy, technology, and legal domains, including through continued engagement with stakeholders.
Keywords:
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC); Digital Money; Payment Systems; Financial Inclusion; IMF mission team; CBDC exploration; request of the Bank of Namibia; capacity development recipient; exploration roadmap; Central Bank digital currencies; Sub-Saharan Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Namibia: 2022 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Namibia
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Namibia has been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic but has started to gradually recover. After a sharp contraction in 2020, with worsening fiscal imbalances and socio-economic disparities, a modest recovery began in 2021 and strengthened in the first half of 2022. Mining activity rebounded while manufacturing and tertiary sector activities gradually started to recover. Inflationary pressures have increased, as higher international oil and food prices due to Russia’s war in Ukraine were passed-through. The political context remains stable, with elections scheduled in 2024.
Keywords:
targeted reform agenda; authorities project SACU revenue; transparency policy; tertiary sector; FAD TA; IMF team; Fiscal consolidation; Food prices; Global; Africa
Cover Departmental Papers
Stress Testing in Sub-Saharan Africa: Practices, Communications, and Capacity Development
Mindaugas Leika
,
Hector Perez-Saiz
,
Ms. Olga Ilinichna Stankova
, and
Torsten Wezel
The paper finds that supervisory stress tests are conducted in more than half of sub-Saharan African countries, particularly in western and southern Africa, and that the number of individual stress tests has grown exponentially since the early 2010s. By contrast, few central banks publish assessments of macro-financial linkages; the focus leans more toward discussing trends and weaknesses within the financial sector than on outside risks that may negatively affect its performance.
Keywords:
DPPP; DP; risk; financial risk; bank; market; process; liquidity risk; market risk; interest rate; macro-financial risk assessment; risk analysis; Stress testing; Financial sector stability; Communications in revenue administration; Credit risk; Commercial banks; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Global; stress test result; risk weight; IMF TA; banking sector risk; bank supervisor; concentration risk; banking risk; macro-financial risk analysis; asset concentration risk; risk driver
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Namibia: 2019 Article IV Consultation-Press Release and Staff Report
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This 2019 Article IV Consultation with Namibia discusses that with the temporary stimuli now ended, the economy is rebalancing while the government is implementing a significant fiscal consolidation. A likely slow recovery, the need for further fiscal adjustment to bring public debt to a sustainable path, persistent inequalities and structural impediments to growth, point to a challenging outlook. Immediate measures are needed to deliver the authorities’ fiscal adjustment plans and bring public debt to a sustainable path. Policies should combine spending reductions and revenue increases that support long-term growth. Better targeting of cash transfers would protect the poor. Structural reforms are urgently needed to strengthen productivity and external competitiveness and boost long-term growth. Reforms should streamline business regulations, contain public sector wage dynamics, and reduce costs of key production inputs. Over time, it is important to remove non-tariff barriers to exports, foster the adoption of new technologies, and address shortages of skilled workers.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; reports balance of payments; Namibia; economy; private sector indebtedness; slowing productivity growth; growth prospect; risks statement; headline inflation; credit growth; Fiscal consolidation; Fiscal stance; Government debt management; Global; Southern Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Namibia: 2017 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Namibia
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This 2017 Article IV Consultation highlights that Namibia’s economy has reached a turning point with ending of temporary expansionary factors. GDP sharply decelerated in 2016 and contracted in 2017 as construction in the mining sector came to an end and the government began consolidating. With the economy contracting and Southern Africa Customs Union’s receipts temporarily increasing, the current account balance improved significantly. The outlook remains positive with considerable vulnerabilities and risks. Growth is projected to resume in 2018, as mining production ramps up, construction activity stabilizes and manufacturing recovers, before converging to a long-term rate of about 3.5 percent, below the average of recent years.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; GDP; private sector; deficit; Namibia; reports balance of payments; headline inflation; credit growth; SACU revenue receipt; SACU revenue; private sector indebtedness; exchange rate; Fiscal risks; Fiscal consolidation; Africa; Southern Africa; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
A Generalized Framework for the Assessment of Household Financial Vulnerability
Mindaugas Leika
and
Daniela Marchettini
Household financial fragility has received considerable attention following the global financial crisis, but substantial gaps remain in the analytical underpinnings of household financial vulnerability assessment, as well as in data availability. This paper aims at integrating the contributions in the literature in a coherent fashion. The study proposes also analytical and estimation extensions aimed at improving the quality of estimates and allowing the assessment of household financial vulnerability in presence of data limitations. The result of this effort is a comprehensive framework, that has wide applicability to both advanced and developing economies. For illustrative purposes the paper includes a detailed application to one developing country (Namibia).
Keywords:
WP; gross income; debt service; composite index; interest rate; household; stress test; sensitivity analysis; credit risk; microdata; non-parametric methods; debt payment; debt level; debt obligation; household debt; payments DPh; debt repayment side; household DTI ratio; Personal income; Financial sector risk; Mortgages; Disposable income; Debt burden; Africa; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Namibia: 2016 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Namibia
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This 2016 Article IV Consultation highlights that Namibia has experienced remarkable growth and economic progress since the financial crisis. Strong policy frameworks and expansionary domestic policies have contributed to macroeconomic stability, robust growth, and rising living standards. Yet deep-rooted structural impediments have kept unemployment high and unresponsive to growth, contributing to persistently high inequality. The outlook remains positive with considerable vulnerabilities and risks. Growth is projected to temporarily weaken to 1.6 percent in 2016 as the construction of large mines ends and the government starts consolidating.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; fiscal policy; IMF Policy paper; deficit; IMF Executive Board; headline inflation; housing price dynamics; reports balance of payments; household indebtedness; Income; Income inequality; Fiscal consolidation; Africa; Southern Africa
Cover Departmental Papers
Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Promoting Inclusive and Sustainable Growth
Mr. Montfort Mlachila
,
Ahmat Jidoud
,
Ms. Monique Newiak
,
Bozena Radzewicz-Bak
, and
Ms. Misa Takebe
This paper discusses how sub-Saharan Africa’s financial sector developed in the past few decades, compared with other regions. Sub-Saharan African countries have made substantial progress in financial development over the past decade, but there is still considerable scope for further development, especially compared with other regions. Indeed, until a decade or so ago, the level of financial development in a large number of sub-Saharan African countries had actually regressed relative to the early 1980s. With the exception of the region’s middle-income countries, both financial market depth and institutional development are lower than in other developing regions. The region has led the world in innovative financial services based on mobile telephony, but there remains scope to increase financial inclusion further. The development of mobile telephone-based systems has helped to incorporate a large share of the population into the financial system, especially in East Africa. Pan-African banks have been a driver for homegrown financial development, but they also bring a number of challenges.
Keywords:
DPPP; DP; financial system; monetary union; market index; banking sector; return on assets; financial institution index; commodity price; return on equity; Financial sector development; Financial inclusion; Basel II; Financial sector; Sub-Saharan Africa; Africa; East Africa; Global; Asia and Pacific
Cover Africa on the Move
Africa on the Move
Unlocking the Potential of Small Middle-Income States
Mr. Lamin Y Leigh
and
Mr. Ali M. Mansoor

Abstract

This book describes the reforms needed to move small middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa to advanced-economy status. The result of intense discussions with public officials in the countries covered, the book blends rigorous theory, econometrics, and practitioners' insights to come up with practical recommendations for policymakers. It spans topics from macroeconomic vulnerability and reserve adequacy to labor market institutions and financial inclusion. The book is a must-read for researchers interested in the economic issues facing developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Keywords:
BOOK; government; reserve; Small Middle-Income Country; TFP growth; public employment; country authorities; design reserves management policy; bank distress; SMICs in sub-Saharan Africa; SMIC government; Total factor productivity; Public employment; Labor markets; Financial sector stability; Financial inclusion; Sub-Saharan Africa; Global; Eastern Europe; Africa; Southern Africa