Country Reports
2023
December 8, 2023
Belgium: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note on Insurance Regulation and Supervision
Description: The Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) conducted a focused review of insurance regulation and supervision in Belgium. This technical note (TN) provides an update on the insurance sector and highlights risks and vulnerabilities. It analyzes key aspects of regulatory and supervisory oversight: supervisor; the solvency framework; supervision (micro and macro); changes in control and portfolio transfer, reinsurance; conduct of business and group supervision and supervisory co-operation and co-ordination.2 Belgium has adopted a twin peaks model of regulatory oversight and supervision. The National Bank of Belgium (NBB) is responsible for prudential supervision at both a micro and macro level whilst the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) is mandated with conduct of business supervision. The analysis focuses on supervision within the scope of the NBB’s and the FSMA’s mandates. The TN comments on progress in respect of the implementation of recommendations made by the previous FSAP and offers further recommendations to strengthen the regulatory and supervisory regime.
December 8, 2023
Belgium: 2023 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Belgium
Description: Supported by strong and timely policy response, the Belgium economy and its financial sector showed resilience in withstanding a series of shocks in the past three years. Still, as in most euro area countries, growth is slowing, and core inflation remains high. Furthermore, the pandemic and energy crisis increased already-high public debt and structural fiscal deficits. Meanwhile, an aging population and the climate transition are putting pressure on public finances while low productivity and labor participation are dampening potential growth.
December 8, 2023
Belgium: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note on Regulation and Supervision of Less Significant Institutions
Description: The Belgium FSAP deep dived into the arrangements related to the financial safety net and crisis management. Belgium made progress since the 2018 FSAP2 in the preparation of resolution plans and minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) targets. The authorities should now focus on strengthening the crisis management framework, ensure the operational readiness of resolution plans and enhancing the Deposit Insurance System (DIS). The Belgium FSAP has reviewed the national arrangements and, as a result, all the recommendations are addressed to the national authorities. This technical note also refers to Significant Institutions (SIs) when relevant and includes a factual description of the allocation of responsibilities between the Belgian authorities, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Single Resolution Board (SRB) with regards to the functioning of the financial safety net.
December 6, 2023
Nepal: Third Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Nepal
Description: Nepal’s post-pandemic rebound, fueled by a credit boom, came to an end last year as growth slowed markedly. Low domestic demand helped resolve external pressures but also deflated government revenue and led to a widening of the fiscal deficit despite spending discipline. Despite the November 2023 earthquake, growth is expected to recover to 3.5 percent in FY2023/24, which is below potential. Inflation is declining but remains high. While the financial sector appears to be weathering the credit contraction, regulatory and supervisory practices need to continue to be strengthened to facilitate the needed transition to more sustainable and pro-growth credit growth.
December 6, 2023
Papua New Guinea: First Reviews under Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility and an Arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility, and Request for Modification of Quantitative Performance Criteria-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Papua New Guinea
Description: Background. On March 22, 2023, the IMF Executive Board approved 38-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangements with Papua New Guinea to help address a protracted balance of payments need manifested in foreign exchange shortages and to support the authorities’ reforms to address long-standing structural impediments to inclusive growth. While ambitious, the program is focused on macro-critical conditionality, supported by capacity development (CD), and informed by a Country Engagement Strategy, in line with the IMF’s Strategy for Fragile and Conflict-Affected States (FCS).
December 5, 2023
Lebanon: Technical Assistance Report-Tax and Customs Administration: An Urgent Need for Intervention
Description: Four years into the ongoing economic crisis, a concern exists that operations in Lebanon’s tax and customs administrations could collapse. This report describes the challenges faced, encourages that immediate interventions be made, identifies structural mechanisms to finance reforms, and provides guidance on reform and capacity development priorities for the next 36 months.
December 5, 2023
Benin: Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy
Description: Considering the need to strengthen the development planning system to achieve the Benin 2025 Alafia Vision, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Africa’s Agenda 2063, the government adopted a roadmap during the Council of Ministers of July 27, 2016 for the development of the 2016-2021 Government Action Program (PAG) and the National Development Plan (PND). The PND is the first layer in the configuration of the Benin 2025 Alafia Vision, in accordance with the planning system adopted by Benin during the national days of assessment organized on this subject on December 5 and 6, 1991 and adopted by the government in the Council of Ministers in 1992.
December 4, 2023
Guyana: 2023 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; and Staff Report
Description: The Guyanese economy has tripled in size since the start of oil extraction (end- 2019), from one of the lowest GDP per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean in the early nineties. Oil production is ramping up rapidly, supporting the highest real GDP growth in the world in 2022 (62.3 percent). With the help of oil revenues, first transferred to the budget in 2022, the government has started investing heavily to address large development needs. Fundamentals remain strong and there are no signs of inflationary pressures or overheating as of yet—annual CPI inflation rate was 1.2 percent in July 2023— since there remains slack in the economy.
December 4, 2023
Ecuador: Ex-Post Evaluation of Exceptional Access under the 2020 Extended Fund Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Ecuador
Description: The Executive Board approved a 27-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Ecuador on September 30, 2020. The EFF supported program built on an earlier EFF arrangement in 2019, which had been canceled, and came on the heels of a Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) purchase in 2020. With a total access of US$6.5 billion, the 2020 EFF brought Ecuador’s cumulative access to 897 percent of quota, triggering exceptional access (EA). After five purchases and with some of the reviews combined, the arrangement expired in December 2022.
December 4, 2023
Republic of Kosovo: Technical Assistance Report-Public Investment Management Assessment Update and Climate PIMA
Description: Kosovo is rightly working to improve its public investment management to support future economic growth and improvements in wellbeing. This assessment applies the IMF Public Investment Management Assessment (PIMA) framework, including the Climate-PIMA module. It finds that there have been improvements in Kosovo’s public investment management institutions since the original 2015 PIMA assessment—but the design of these institutions is stronger than their effectiveness in practice. Continued reforms are needed to strengthen the project appraisal process, improve the pace of project implementation, and increase central support for major projects. Like most other countries, Kosovo is at an early stage of incorporating climate aspects into public investment management. Strengthening the alignment between climate goals and sectoral infrastructure planning and delivery will be needed to ensure that infrastructure investments are resilient and assist Kosovo in meeting is climate objectives.