{
  "title": "Reinvigorating Growth in Belize",
  "publication": "IMF Working Papers, February 4, 2019",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496",
  "canonical": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496",
  "overlayPath": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496/index.md",
  "summary": "In the 1990s and early 2000s, Belize grew faster than its regional peers. By the mid-2000s, however, economic growth had slowed down to the regional average. A vicious circle of low growth and increasing public debt has been clouding Belize’s outlook.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Summary",
      "content": "- In the 1990s and early 2000s, Belize grew faster than its regional peers. By the mid-2000s, however, economic growth had slowed down to the regional average.\n- A vicious circle of low growth and increasing public debt has been clouding Belize’s outlook.\n- This paper applies a growth diagnostic approach based on the Hausmann-Rodrik-Velasco framework to investigate the main growth constraints and opportunities for higher growth in Belize.\n- Improvements in access to finance and in the business climate could unlock Belize’s strengths."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Main findings and analytical focus",
      "content": "- Historical growth pattern:\n  - Faster growth than regional peers in the 1990s and early 2000s.\n  - Slowdown to regional average by the mid-2000s.\n- Growth constraints identified via the Hausmann-Rodrik-Velasco growth diagnostic framework:\n  - Low access to finance.\n  - Weak business climate.\n  - A reinforcing interaction between low growth and increasing public debt.\n- Potential opportunities:\n  - Addressing access to finance.\n  - Improving the business climate to leverage Belize’s comparative strengths."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Policy recommendations and implications",
      "content": "- Prioritize reforms to improve access to finance for firms and entrepreneurs.\n- Implement measures to strengthen the business climate to facilitate private-sector activity and diversification.\n- Address public debt dynamics to break the vicious circle of low growth and rising debt.\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- Reinvigorating Growth in Belize, WP/19/24, February 2019\n  - Reinvigorating Growth in Belize, WP/19/24, February 2019 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - Reinvigorating Growth in Belize, WP/19/24, February 2019 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496"
    }
  ],
  "bullets": [
    "[Markdown version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496/index.md)",
    "[Structured JSON version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496/index.json)",
    "[Bundle manifest](/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496/bundle-manifest.json)",
    "Authors: Dmitry Vasilyev",
    "Published: February 4, 2019",
    "Series: IMF Working Papers",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484392188.001",
    "In the 1990s and early 2000s, Belize grew faster than its regional peers. By the mid-2000s, however, economic growth had slowed down to the regional average.",
    "A vicious circle of low growth and increasing public debt has been clouding Belize’s outlook.",
    "This paper applies a growth diagnostic approach based on the Hausmann-Rodrik-Velasco framework to investigate the main growth constraints and opportunities for higher growth in Belize.",
    "Improvements in access to finance and in the business climate could unlock Belize’s strengths.",
    "Historical growth pattern:",
    "Growth constraints identified via the Hausmann-Rodrik-Velasco growth diagnostic framework:",
    "Potential opportunities:",
    "Prioritize reforms to improve access to finance for firms and entrepreneurs.",
    "Implement measures to strengthen the business climate to facilitate private-sector activity and diversification.",
    "Address public debt dynamics to break the vicious circle of low growth and rising debt.",
    "**Reinvigorating Growth in Belize, WP/19/24, February 2019**"
  ],
  "related": [
    {
      "title": "Reinvigorating Growth in Belize, WP/19/24, February 2019",
      "role": "document",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/wp/2019/wp1924.pdf",
      "summary": {
        "path": "/-/media/files/publications/wp/2019/wp1924.pdf.md",
        "mime": "text/markdown"
      },
      "binary": {
        "path": "/-/media/files/publications/wp/2019/wp1924.pdf",
        "mime": "application/pdf"
      }
    }
  ],
  "alternates": {
    "markdown": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496/index.md",
    "json": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496/index.json",
    "bundleManifest": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/02/04/reinvigorating-growth-in-belize-46496/bundle-manifest.json"
  },
  "generatedAtUtc": "2026-09-18T14:46:22.615Z"
}