Narrow Your Choices

Refine By Countries

Refine By Series

Refine By Language

Refine By Date

—

Refine By IMF Taxonomy

Refine By JEL Taxonomy

Refine by LOC Taxonomy

Refine By THEMA Taxonomy

  • Print
  • Save

Social Science > Demography

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 24 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
Clear All Modify Search
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Benin: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper presents stylized facts on Benin’s ongoing economic transformation, and analyzes the country’s new eco-system. A recent IMF paper explores conditions under which the country’s industrial policy could meet its intended goals while avoiding unintended economic distortions down the road. While economic diversification is found to be associated with higher economic growth, evidence on the causal impact of industrial policies is hard to establish. While empirical evidence suggests that Benin’s reliance on traditional sectors, notably the Port of Cotonou, is moderating, economic diversification remains limited. The government embarked on industrial policy with the transformation of local commodities as main engine, including via the launching of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in 2020. It is recommending that the authorities should pursue efforts to ensure transparency in the selection of SEZ-related incentives. Intra-regional trade integration holds significant potential for Benin and could support economic diversification. Ongoing post-electoral policy shifts in Nigeria and formalization underway of economic ties between both nations, if permanent, would curb rent-seeking in Benin.
Keywords:
demographics dividend; B. addressing Internet accessibility; infrastructure investment; Beninese government; completion rate; Digitalization; Exports; Global; Sub-Saharan Africa; West Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Bulgaria: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
This Selected Issues paper focuses on the Bulgarian pension system. The paper provides an overview of the pension system and describes measures taken in the last decade to increase its financial sustainability. It highlights how the measures taken during and after the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic structurally affect the financial sustainability of the pension system. The paper also shows that the recent measures compound the long-term pressure related to an aging population. It also details policies that could contain the projected increase in pension spending. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bulgarian authorities increased pensions substantially to support pensioners’ living standards and aggregate demand. These increases have become permanent and improved the adequacy of pensions. However, not matched by revenue measures, they have widened the deficit of the pension system. Reforms that increase the incentives to contribute to the pension system and thus revenue would improve the financial sustainability of the pension system and reduce fiscal risks.
Keywords:
GVC Integration; IMF staff calculation; return on assets; GVC participation; EU country; current ratio; Pension spending; Pensions; Aging; Exports; Public enterprises; Global; Europe
Cover Finance & Development
Finance and Development, June 2023
International Monetary Fund. Communications Department
In this issue, we focus on the forces disrupting the established international trade order, such as Russia’s war on Ukraine and geopolitical fragmentation. We also look at how global trade is being reshaped by technology and policy priorities, such as climate change and equality.
Keywords:
commonwealth member; trade openness; policy choice; trade volume; commonwealth nation; Aging; Exports; Export restrictions; Global; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Brazil: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
Selected Issues
Keywords:
recession response; COVID lockdown stringency; title page; baseline vaccination projection; vaccination path; CA adjustment; Economic recession; COVID-19; Private savings; Exports; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
E-commerce as a Potential New Engine for Growth in Asia
Mr. Tidiane Kinda
The use of e-commerce around the world has accelerated in recent years, with Asia, led by China, spearheading the rise. Using cross-country enterprise survey data, this paper shows that firms engaged in e-commerce have higher productivity and generate a larger share of their revenues from exports than other firms. This is particularly true in Asia, where firms have 30 percent higher productivity and generate about 50 percent more of their revenues from exports. The results presented in this paper are robust to the use of instrumental variables, which highlight possible larger effects of e-commerce on Asian productivity and exports when essential elements are in place for its effective use, such as reliable electricity, telecommunication, and transport infrastructure. Despite the rapid growth of e-commerce in recent years, gaps persist in digital infrastructure and legislation, preventing many Asian countries from fully reaping the potential benefits of e-commerce.
Keywords:
WP; e-commerce firm; World Bank enterprises survey; firm performance; way firm; affiliate company; e-commerce; productivity; exports; World Bank enterprises Surveys; TFP of firm; Total factor productivity; Human capital; Asia and Pacific; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Mauritius: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper develops a Financial Conditions Index (FCI) for Mauritius—an instrument to gauge the operational state of the financial sector and predict real economy activity. The evolution of Mauritius’ financial services sector has been supported by a vibrant offshore corporate sector. Given the strong macro-financial linkages, it is imperative to closely monitor domestic financial developments. Financial developments are broader than monetary developments depicting money supply and interest rates. The FCI is a robust predictor of real GDP growth in Mauritius. The FCI can also help inform macroprudential policy decisions. Decisions on setting the countercyclical capital buffer of Basel III could be informed by analyzing developments in the FCI. As historically Mauritius has not experienced drastic swings in financial credit, testing the constructed FCIs for predicting boom-bust episodes is difficult. Nevertheless, the FCI signaled lax financial conditions in 2009 and again in 2012 that likely contributed to accelerated credit growth in 2012–2013 and a subsequent acceleration in nonperforming loans during 2014–2016.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Mauritius; GDP; saving; saving rate; private saving; statistics Mauritius; export basket; constructed FCIs; Private savings; Income; Aging; Exports; Financial conditions index; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Indonesia: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. Asia and Pacific Dept
This Selected Issues paper focuses on various challenges and opportunities related to reaping Indonesia’s demographic dividend. Demographic trends can impact growth through various channels. These include the size of the labor force, productivity, and capital formation. Indonesia’s growth is set to have a sizeable tailwind from demographic trends. The paper suggests that Indonesia should seize the window of opportunity to reap the demographic dividend, as aging is projected to start kicking in less than 15 years. In the long-term, Indonesia can grow old before becoming rich. The rapid speed of aging implies that Indonesia, similar to many Asian economies, may face the prospect of becoming old before becoming rich. Given Indonesia’s favorable demographic trends, policies should focus first on maximizing the demographic dividend. Reaping the demographic dividend requires appropriate policies to raise productivity and create enough quality jobs for the growing working-age population. Investing in human capital early on, including education and health care, is essential to improve the productivity of the workforce and increase the size of the demographic dividend.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Indonesia; IMF staff estimate; VAT; workforce; export; VAT threshold; financial market; workforce training; old-age dependency ratio; population share; equity-enhancing priority expenditure; export destination; growth strategy; Exports; Capital markets; Infrastructure; Aging; Financial inclusion; Global; Asia and Pacific; Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Thailand: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. Asia and Pacific Dept
This paper discusses selected issues related to the economy of Thailand. The economy of Thailand is largely dependent on China. A 1 percent decline in China’s GDP lowers Thailand’s output by about 0.2 percent. Population aging is another major issue in Thailand. This Association of Southeast Asian Nations country will face the dual challenge of increasing the coverage of the social security system and ensuring its long-term sustainability. Thailand’s financial sector has expanded rapidly over the last decade, and important changes in its structure have taken place. While corporate debt has remained broadly stable, household debt has increased to one of the highest levels among emerging markets, raising concerns about household debt overhang.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Thailand; China; GDP; Other Asean-5 Countries; household debt; China shock; dependency ratio; public health expenditure; wage cap; employees of state enterprises; Pensions; Pension spending; Aging; Exports; Commercial banks; Global
Cover International Monetary Fund Administrative Tribunal Reports, Volume V, 2006
International Monetary Fund Administrative Tribunal Reports, Volume V, 2006
International Monetary Fund

Abstract

This paper provides an analysis of the Tribunal’s jurisprudence for the period is provided in an introductory chapter “Developments in the Jurisprudence of the International Monetary Fund Administrative Tribunal: 2006.” In deciding on an application, the Tribunal shall apply the internal law of the IMF, including generally recognized principles of international administrative law concerning judicial review of administrative acts. The guidelines provide for performance assessments at prescribed intervals during the fixed term and impose obligations on both the fixed-term appointee and supervisors. The Tribunal emphasized that the provisions governing the mandatory resignation and possible subsequent reemployment of staff who serve as Advisors to Executive Directors indicate that a staff member who so resigns has no assured right to resume employment as a member of the IMF’s staff. In order to assess whether an Applicant has initiated administrative review procedures on a timely basis, the Administrative Tribunal may be required to determine when the Applicant was on notice that he had been adversely affected by an administrative act of the IMF.

Keywords:
MISC PUBS; Misc.; tribunal; court; Fund.; IMF Executive Board; administrative assistant; Fund career; tribunal's statute; Fund procedure; court order; statute of limitations; Fund rule; Administration in revenue administration; Pensions; Legal support in revenue administration; Retirement; Pension spending; Global; Employment; Aging
Cover Finance & Development
Finances & Développement, septembre 2007
International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
Le numéro de septembre 2007 de F&D s'intéresse à la croissance des villes et à la tendance à l'urbanisation. Au cours de l'année à venir, pour la première fois dans l'histoire, plus de 50 % de la population mondiale vivra dans des zones urbaines plutôt qu'en zone rurale. Quelles sont les implications économiques de cette révolution urbaine ? Les économistes s'accordent généralement pour dire qu'une urbanisation bien gérée présente un fort potentiel d'augmentation de la croissance et d'amélioration de la qualité de vie. Mais comme l'indique l'article de couverture, l'inverse est également vrai : mal gérée, l'urbanisation peut non seulement entraver le développement, mais également favoriser l'émergence de bidonvilles. Les autres articles de cette série s'intéressent à la pauvreté urbaine dans le monde en développement, ainsi qu'à la prolifération des mégalopoles et des conséquences de celle-ci en matière de gouvernance, de financement et de prestations de services. D'autres articles abordent le difficile rééquilibrage de la croissance en Chine. La rubrique « Paroles d'économistes » tend le micro à Robert Barro, économiste d'Harvard ; « Gros plan » présente les difficultés auxquelles le Mexique est confronté ; et « L'ABC de l'économie » s'intéresse au taux de change réel.
Keywords:
FD; F&D; China; country; export