"This paper argues that the dominant policy paradigm on financial development is increasingly insufficient to address big emerging issues that are particularly relevant for financial systems in Latin America. This paradigm was shaped over the past decades by a fundamental shift in thinking...

"This paper reviews the evidence on the importance of finance for economic well-being, provides data on the degree of use of basic financial services by households and firms across a sample of countries, assesses the desirability of more universal access, and overviews the macroeconomic, legal,...

Mali is a vast, land-locked country in West Africa with a population of approximately 14.9 million, and a GDP per capita of USD 480. The economy is largely rural, with over two-thirds of the population living off agriculture, notably cotton. Gold is the country's largest export, though...

This study assesses the main spillover effects of the Libyan crisis on the Tunisian economy and estimates the crisis' overall social welfare and fiscal impacts on Tunisia. The authors consider four main effects on Tunisia: (i) the increased presence of Libyans in Tunisia (both short- and...

The objective of this 2009 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) economic developments and prospects is to review the implication of the triple food-fuel-financial crisis for MENA economies. Chapter one reviews the year 2008 and the first few months of 2009. It discusses the impact of the global...

The exposure of African financial sectors to global risks, including the likely fall-out of the on-going European debt crisis, continues to be limited. African financial sectors have received much recognition for their steady growth performance and resilience during and after the 2008 global...

This note elaborates on the recommendations made in the Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) for Nigeria in the areas of contingency planning, crisis management, and bank resolution. It summarizes the findings of the FSAP mission undertaken during September 4 to 19, 2012 and is based upon...