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Africa > Malawi

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Cover Selected Decisions and Selected Documents of the International Monetary Fund
Selected Decisions and Selected Documents of the International Monetary Fund
Forty-Third Issue Supplement
International Monetary Fund. Legal Dept.

Abstract

A supplement to the Forty-Third Issue of Selected Decisions and Selected Documents of the International Monetary Fund, incorporating items posted after January 1, 2023.

Keywords:
MCP decision; Review of the Fund's Policy; payments policy; adequacy assessment framework; fund surveillance; Balance of payments need; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Liquidity; Lines of credit; Global
Cover IMF How To Notes
How to Assess the Benefits of Nonperforming Loan Disposal in Sub-Saharan Africa Using a Simple Analytical Framework
Irina Bunda
,
Luc Eyraud
, and
Zhangrui Wang
The coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, which has hit financial systems across Africa, is likely to deteriorate banks’ balance sheets. The largest threat to banks pertains to their loan portfolios, since many borrowers have faced a sharp collapse in their income, and therefore have difficulty repaying their obligations as they come due. This could lead to a sharp increase in nonperforming loans (NPLs) in the short to medium term.
Keywords:
Nonperforming loan disposal; Excel template; disposal strategy; raise capital requirement; loan portfolio; management cost; Nonperforming loans; Loans; Distressed assets; Financial statements; Collateral; Sub-Saharan Africa; Africa
Cover IMF Working Papers
Determinants of Bank Interest Margins in Sub-Saharan Africa
Mr. Calixte Ahokpossi
Financial intermediation is low in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to other regions of the world. This paper examines the determinants of bank interest margins using a sample of 456 banks in 41 SSA countries. The results show that market concentration is positively associated with interest margins, but the impact depends on the level of efficiency of each bank. In particular, compared to inefficient banks, efficient ones increase their margins more in concentrated markets. This indicates that policies that promote competition and reduce market concentration would help lower interest margins in SSA. The results also show that bank-specific factors such as credit risk, liquidity risk, and bank equity are important determinants of interest margins. Finally, interest margins are sensitive to inflation, but not to economic growth or public or foreign ownership. There are regional differences within SSA regarding the level of interest margins even after controlling for other factors.
Keywords:
WP; center; bank; interest margin; Banks interest margins; commercial banks; bank margin; bank inefficiency; bank activity; bank data; bank size; bank characteristic; bank behavior; Credit risk; Liquidity risk; State-owned banks; Foreign banks; Sub-Saharan Africa; East Africa; West Africa; Southern Africa
Cover Finance & Development
Finance & Development, June 2005
International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
The paper highlights that over the past century, access to education has increased enormously, illiteracy has fallen dramatically, and a higher proportion of people are completing primary, secondary, or tertiary education than ever before. But huge problems remain. About 115 million children of primary school age are not currently enrolled in school. Most are illiterate and live in absolute poverty—the majority female. Some 264 million children of secondary school age are not currently enrolled, and the quality of schooling is often low.
Keywords:
FD; F&D; primary education; government; spending; debt; Turkey's State Institute of Statistics; policy challenge; country focus; project co-director; UPE goal; Loans; Stock markets; Capital markets; Global; Europe; Sub-Saharan Africa; East Asia; South Asia
Cover IMF Staff Papers
IMF Staff Papers, Volume 51, No. 1
International Monetary Fund. Research Dept.
This first issue of Volume 51 for 2004 includes a new paper by Peter B. Clark and Jacques J. Polak, along with a tribute from the Editor to Mr. Polak in honor of his 90th birthday. This issue also launches a new featured section, "Data Issues," which will be devoted in future issues to on-going discussions of the latest in econometric and statistical tools for economists, data puzzles, and other related topics of interest to researchers.
Keywords:
SP; data puzzle; preassembled data; Brazil-type debt crisis; country credit ratings; topics of research interest; Commercial banks; Exports; Price indexes; Corruption; Real wages; East Asia; Global; Sub-Saharan Africa; Asia and Pacific
Cover IMF Working Papers
Financial Reforms and Interest Rate Spreads in the Commercial Banking System in Malawi
Mr. Ephraim W. Chirwa
and
Mr. Montfort Mlachila
This study investigates the impact of financial sector reforms on interest rate spreads in the commercial banking system in Malawi. The financial reform program commenced in 1989 when both the Reserve Bank Act and the Banking Act were revised with the easing of entry requirements into the banking system, and indirect monetary policy instruments were subsequently introduced in 1990. The adoption of a floating exchange rate in 1994 marked the end of major policy reforms in the Malawian financial sector. Using alternative definitions of spreads, our analysis shows that spreads increased significantly following liberalization, and panel regression results suggest that the observed high spreads can be attributed to high monopoly power, high reserve requirements, high central bank discount rate and high inflation.
Keywords:
WP; liberalization; bank; commercial bank; interest rate; financial product; Commercial banks; interest spreads; financial liberalization; Malawi; market share; monetary policy; bank behavior; bank spread; Financial sector reform; Discount rates; Reserve requirements; Deposit rates; Sub-Saharan Africa
Cover IMF Working Papers
How Volatile and Unpredictable Are Aid Flows, and What Are the Policy Implications?
Mr. A. J Hamann
and
Mr. Ales Bulir
This paper examines empirical evidence on the volatility and uncertainty of aid flows, and the main policy implications. Aid is found to be more volatile than fiscal revenues- particularly in highly aid-dependent countries-and mildly procyclical in relation to activity in the recipient country. These findings imply that the current pattern of aid disbursements is welfare-reducing. We also find that uncertainty about aid disbursements is large and that the information content of commitments made by donors is either very small or statistically insignificant. Policies to cope with these features of aid, as well as broader international efforts to reduce the volatility and procyclicality of aid, are briefly discussed.
Keywords:
WP; disbursement; country; correlation coefficient; IMF-program projection; external aid; volatility; predictability; IMF-supported programs; program aid; IMF country desk economist; aid disbursement; recipient country; aid-to-revenue ratio; rank correlation correlation coefficient; donor country; reform effort; IMF program projection; Aid flows; Loans; Budget planning and preparation; Exchange rates; Sub-Saharan Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
South Africa: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund
This Selected Issues paper highlights that cautious monetary and fiscal polices of South Africa during 1997 resulted in a return of financial investor confidence and capital inflows during 1997 and through April 1998. These policies helped the South African economy emerge successfully from the exchange market pressures of 1996 and weather the contagion from the East Asian crisis in the second half of 1997. Throughout 1997 and up until May 1998, inflation and market interest rates fell considerably, net international reserves increased, and the net open forward position of the Reserve Bank was reduced sharply.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; government; TFP growth; exchange rate; SADC country; Nontax revenue; capital share; foreign currency; Total factor productivity; Exports; Total expenditures; Commercial banks; Imports; Africa; Southern Africa; East Asia
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Malawi: Recent Economic Developments
International Monetary Fund
This paper examines economic developments in Malawi during 1993–97. Following a short recovery in 1993, Malawi’s financial situation deteriorated significantly in early 1994 as increasing problems of expenditure control ahead of its first multiparty elections and administrative problems in revenue collection led a large overall fiscal deficit mainly financed by the banking system. However, Malawi embarked, in early 1995, on an adjustment program designed to reestablish financial stability and set the basis for sustainable economic growth. Since then, the authorities’ efforts have led to a significant transformation of the Malawian economy.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Malawi; export; Malawi kwacha; exchange rate; debt service; private sector; balance of payments; inflation rate; GDP deflator; Exports; Imports; Commercial banks; Tariffs; Africa
Cover IMF Working Papers
Interest Rate Liberalization: Some Lessons From Africa
Mr. Bart Turtelboom
This paper undertakes a survey of theoretical considerations and an analysis of the experience of five African countries with interest rate liberalization. Despite substantial progress in monetary policy reforms, liberalization has only partially affected the level and variability of interest rates. Several factors—macroeconomic instability, oligopolistic financial markets, the absence of developed capital markets, as well as the sequencing of the liberalization programs and the asymmetric availability of information—explain the increase in the spread between lending and deposit rates as well as the rather inflexible pattern of interest rates during the transition to a market-based financial system.
Keywords:
WP; lending rate; interest rate liberalization; treasury bill; central bank; exchange rate; liberalization program; rate of inflation; income effect; an interest rate; interest rate structure; Deposit rates; Commercial banks; Real interest rates; Financial sector; Inflation; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa