Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic

Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic PDF Author: Stephanie Medina Cas
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1475510845
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Book Description
This paper studies the potential for the export sector to play a more important role in promoting growth in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic (CAPDR) through deeper intra-regional and global trade integration. CAPDR countries have enacted many free trade agreements and other regional integration initiatives in recent years, but this paper finds that their exports remain below the norm for countries of their size. Several indexes of outward orientation are constructed and suggest that the breadth of geographic trading relationships, depth of integration into global production chains, and degree of technological sophistication of exports in CAPDR are less conducive to higher exports and growth than in fast-growing, export-oriented economies. To boost exports and growth, CAPDR should implement policies to facilitate economic integration, particularly building a customs union, harmonizing trade rules, improving logistics and infrastructure, and enhancing regional cordination.

Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic

Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic PDF Author: Stephanie Medina Cas
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1475510845
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Book Description
This paper studies the potential for the export sector to play a more important role in promoting growth in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic (CAPDR) through deeper intra-regional and global trade integration. CAPDR countries have enacted many free trade agreements and other regional integration initiatives in recent years, but this paper finds that their exports remain below the norm for countries of their size. Several indexes of outward orientation are constructed and suggest that the breadth of geographic trading relationships, depth of integration into global production chains, and degree of technological sophistication of exports in CAPDR are less conducive to higher exports and growth than in fast-growing, export-oriented economies. To boost exports and growth, CAPDR should implement policies to facilitate economic integration, particularly building a customs union, harmonizing trade rules, improving logistics and infrastructure, and enhancing regional cordination.

Paving the Way to Sustained Growth and Prosperity in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic

Paving the Way to Sustained Growth and Prosperity in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic PDF Author: Ms.Kimberly Beaton
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1484370287
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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Book Description
Abstract: Accelerating economic growth in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic (CAPDR) remains an elusive task. While the region performed relatively well in the post-global financial crisis period, over the last five years obstacles to growth have become more evident and new challenges have emerged. In response, the region has strengthened macro-financial frameworks but more progress will be required to pave the way to sustained growth and prosperity. This book considers the structural factors underlying the region’s growth outlook and assesses its macroeconomic and financial challenges to help shape the policy agenda going forward. The book first identifies the structural determinants of growth in the region related to: capital formation; employment; demographic factors, including immigration; productivity; and violence. It then highlights the importance of creating fiscal space through the design and implementation of fiscal rules and mechanisms to increase accountability (better quality of public spending, adequate policies to reduce income inequality and sustainable retirement plans). Finally, it presents recent evidence on the importance of a supportive financial sector for growth (including through financial inclusion and development).

Excerpt: Paving the Way to Sustained Growth and Prosperity in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic

Excerpt: Paving the Way to Sustained Growth and Prosperity in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic PDF Author: International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1484370317
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 20

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Book Description
This is an excerpt from Paving the Way to Growth and Prosperity in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic edited by Kimberly Beaton, Roberto Garcia Saltos, and Lorenzo Figliuoli. Over the past three decades, countries in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic have experienced sustained economic transfor-mation. The region has moved away from its rural and agricultural past to a modern and urban present and has significantly integrated its econ-omies regionally and globally. Many factors have shaped the region’s economic performance and are expected to contribute to its future development. The book aims to foster policy dialogue and contribute to the efforts to address the region’s unique challenges. The first part looks at the region’s growth with a view to understanding how structural determinants have contributed to the region’s uneven gains and the resulting priorities to strengthen the foundations of growth. The second part of the book high-lights the importance of addressing the region’s fiscal challenges and supporting growth and improved social outcomes. Finally, the third part of the book emphasizes the importance of a supportive financial sector for growth, including through financial inclusion and development. This excerpt is taken from uncorrected page proofs. Please check quota-tions and attributions against the final published volume.

Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic

Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic PDF Author: Mr.Marco Pinon
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1475572018
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 280

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Book Description
Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic coped well with the global financial crisis of 2008-09. The impact was generally less severe and shorter lived than in previous episodes, the balance of payments adjustment was orderly, and the stability of the financial system was not compromised. This resilience can be attributed to a large extent to the strengthening of the fiscal frameworks, monetary management, and financial reforms conducted in the years preceding the global crisis. Nevertheless, the region faces considerable challenges for the period ahead, including the need to raise medium term growth above historical levels and protect macroeconomic and financial stability. This book argues that meeting these challenges will have to come from within, in light of the anticipated modest demand growth from trade partners. Raising growth in the region will depend on the adoption of structural reforms that generate substantial productivity gains. Rebuilding fiscal space and securing debt sustainability will hinge on efforts to increase tax revenue and reorienting spending to social and investment priorities. In the non-officially dollarized economies, it will also be essential to strengthen the monetary policy frameworks to keep inflation low and increase exchange rate flexibility, and improve financial regulation and supervision.

Central America and the Caribbean Area (Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico)

Central America and the Caribbean Area (Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico) PDF Author: James Minotto
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Economic assistance, American
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Social Expenditure in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic at a Glance

Social Expenditure in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic at a Glance PDF Author: Marco Solera
Publisher: Inter-American Development Bank
ISBN: 1597822515
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description
Social spending is a powerful tool to reduce poverty, achieve higher equality and better life conditions for the inhabitants of a country. In "Social Expenditure in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic: 2007-2013", a characterization of the different variables that have taken social expenditure to its current position is performed. During the economic crisis period, many governments of the region confront this situation with an increase in social expenditures. However, part of the increase was centered on inflexible items, particularly wages, which facilitated the increase in fiscal deficits and, consequently, on public debt. Thus, after the financial crisis, the fiscal situation has reduced governments' buffers to respond to economic shocks, which imply that we need to examine the fiscal policy given its rigidity, the scarcity of public resources and the institutional contract. The study of wage bill increases provides more information related to the causes of this dynamic, and allow us to offer recommendations to improve spending management without threatening public finances. A better use of resources could contribute to define a more efficient and equitable agenda for the countries in the region. Finally, something that was not deeply explored, as of today, is the institutional complexity and how this could facilitate, or hinder, the government's ability to express its fiscal policy, including the effectiveness in the use of public resources.

A Challenge for Democracy

A Challenge for Democracy PDF Author: Luis E. González
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781597820110
Category : Central America
Languages : en
Pages : 297

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Middle America and the United States

Middle America and the United States PDF Author: United Fruit Company. Middle America Information Bureau
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Central America
Languages : en
Pages : 120

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Structural Change and Growth in Central America and the Dominican Republic

Structural Change and Growth in Central America and the Dominican Republic PDF Author: Hugo E. Beteta
Publisher: UN
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 384

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Book Description
This publication looks at changes that have occurred with the production structure, trade and society in Central America and the Dominican Republic, and how they have influenced the countries' growth trajectories. One of the conclusions it reaches is that the subregion overall has enjoyed faster economic growth than the rest of Latin America over the two decades examined, 1990-2011, which has helped to raise incomes and living standards. Yet this progress falls far short of what is needed, given the high levels of poverty and indigence and the glaring inequalities suffered by much of the population in Central America and the Dominican Republic.

Seeing the Latin Republics of North America

Seeing the Latin Republics of North America PDF Author: William Alfred Reid
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Latin America
Languages : en
Pages : 198

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Book Description