Finance & Development articles from June 1994

Finance & Development archives from June 1994

Africa's quest for prosperity: has adjustment helped?
June 1, 1994... THE SUB-SAHARAN African countries that have made strides in improving policies have enjoyed some resurgence of growth. Countries still need to deepen the reform efforts that have led to a renewal of growth in the short term and to rethink the...

Results of adjustment in Africa: selected cases.
June 1, 1994... SUB-SAHARAN Africa's economic decline, although modestly reversed in some countries, is deeply worrying. A World Bank case study of seven countries pinpoints the need for consistent and unfettered implementation of reform policies, along with...

Striving for stability: CFA franc realignment. (African franc zone)(includes related article)
June 1, 1994... FACED with a turbulent economic and financial situation since the mid-1980s, the 14 African member countries of the franc zone made a historic decision to adopt a new comprehensive adjustment strategy, including a substantial realignment of the...

Interbank foreign exchange markets in Africa.
June 1, 1994... AFRICAN countries experimenting with interbank floating exchange markets are discovering the significant benefits these markets provide, such as realistic exchange rates for domestic currency and an increased flow of foreign exchange through the...

Developing Asia: a new growth pole emerges.
June 1, 1994... THE EAST ASIAN "miracle" may be spreading to South Asia. Though major challenges remain, developing Asia is poised to become a major catalyst for global economic growth over the next decade. Developing Asia may emerge as the new locomotive for...

Reversing pollution trends in Asia.
June 1, 1994... Asia is becoming more urbanized URBAN and industrial pollution in Asia--a by-product of rapid economic growth--is one of the region's greatest development challenges. A World Bank study argues that environmental protection does not preclude...

Managing water in a sustainable manner. (includes related articles)
June 1, 1994... AS WATER becomes an increasingly scarce resource, countries and development agencies are rethinking the best way to manage this vital resource. The World Bank's new approach centers less on generating new supplies and more on the "demand"...

Water management in the Maghreb.
June 1, 1994... AS THE MAGHREB countries look for ways to tackle an impending water crisis, it is becoming clear that governments must move away from the traditional supply-oriented, agency specific policies. The best hope lies in a comprehensive approach that...

Are "water markets" a viable option?
June 1, 1994... AS DEVELOPING countries look for the best way to allocate scarce water supplies, many economists and environmentalists are advocating "water markets." The good news is that the prerequisites needed for a viable water market are the same as those...

The case for low uniform tariffs.
June 1, 1994... ARE LOW, uniform tariffs part of the solution to improving competitiveness? Policymakers in many developing countries seem to think so. They are beginning to put in place reforms aimed at simplifying tariff structures and making them more...

The Swedish labor model in crisis.
June 1, 1994... THE STRUCTURAL problems behind Sweden's current economic dilemma can be traced to key institutional features of its labor market. Centralized bargaining and equalizing wages may no longer be appropriate. The Swedish economy has been...

AIDS: invest now or pay more later.
June 1, 1994... AS DEVELOPING countries seek the most cost-effective ways to control the spread of AIDS, the World Development Report 1993 argues that no country is immune. Delaying action will sharply raise the cost of intervening and increase the threat the...

Dealing with the bad debt problem in transition economies.
June 1, 1994... AS EASTERN EUROPE and the states of the former USSR confront the bad debt problem, they face difficult policy choices. These include when to commit fiscal resources to recapitalize banks, how to change behavior given the incentive system...

The new Global Environment Facility.
June 1, 1994... REPRESENTATIVES from more than 80 developed and developing countries meeting in Geneva on March 14-16 agreed to transform the Global Environment Facility (GEF) from an experimental program into a permanent financial mechanism that will provide...