Country Reports
2025
January 27, 2025
Cambodia: 2024 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Cambodia
Description: Cambodia’s economy is at a crossroads. While the economic recovery continues, its pace remains uneven. The sharp slowdown in credit growth has exposed the economy to increased financial sector vulnerabilities. Policy formulation must ensure a durable and inclusive recovery in the near term and achieving development goals over the medium term. The path forward will require a refocus on more resilient and diversified growth drivers, with the graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status expected by 2030.
January 27, 2025
Democratic Republic of Congo: Requests for an Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility and an Arrangement Under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for the Democratic Republic of Congo
Description: The authorities have requested a new ECF-supported program, to deepen reforms undertaken under the previous program (completed in July 2024). They have also requested a program under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
January 24, 2025
Albania: 2024 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Albania
Description: Albania is on track to be one of the fastest growing economies in Europe in 2024, underpinned by tourism and prudent macroeconomic policies. Despite this strong performance, GDP per capita stands at just around a quarter of the EU-15 level. The economy is also facing structural headwinds, stemming from rapid population aging, emigration, low productivity, and governance shortcomings.
January 24, 2025
Haiti: Staff-Monitored Program-Press Release and Staff Report
Description: Recent developments. Haiti is facing exceptionally challenging circumstances. The deteriorating security environment, which reached crisis proportions in the first few months of 2024, has continued to worsen, disrupting supply chains (particularly energy and basic services) and feeding inflationary pressures. In November 2024, Haiti's transitional Presidential Council designated Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to form a new government with a time-bound mandate through next elections. The government has a narrow but important window of opportunity to implement reforms that could help restore the country’s potential over the medium term.
January 23, 2025
People’s Republic of China—Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: Selected Issues
Description: 2024 Selected Issues
January 23, 2025
People’s Republic of China—Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: 2024 Article IV Consultation Discussions-Press Release; and Staff Report
Description: Hong Kong SAR’s economy is on a path of gradual but uneven recovery following a protracted period of shocks. While the unemployment rate has declined to historical lows, employment loss has been sizable and domestic demand has remained weak amid tight financial conditions and property market downturn, both locally and in Mainland China. The territory’s integration with Mainland China, including in the context of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) initiative, has significantly increased in recent years, but rising regional competition has put pressure on some of its traditional growth engines, prompting the authorities to pursue new sources of growth, including from innovative, technology-driven sectors.
January 22, 2025
Malta: 2024 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; and Staff Report
Description: Malta has experienced strong growth over the past decade, primarily driven by export-oriented service industries, such as tourism and online gaming. Although growth is expected to moderate, it will remain among Europe’s highest in the near term, along with tight labor markets. Inflation has fallen to around 2 percent, but some inflationary pressures remain in the service sector. Strong growth has been supported by an influx of foreign workers and tourists, leading to increased density and strain on infrastructure and public services. This has raised concerns about the sustainability of the labor-intensive growth model. The financial system has demonstrated resilience amid successive shocks.