Finance & Economics | WPN World People News

Growth in Serbia, the largest economy in the Western Balkans, is expected to slow to 2 percent in 2017, following a severe winter that affected the agriculture and construction sectors.

The World Bank on Novemberj 16, approved a $45 million grant for the second Public Finance Sustainability and Investment Development Policy Financing (DPF) operation. Building on the reforms pursued since 2014, this operation supports the continuation of a series of reforms that the Government of Madagascar is undertaking to accelerate socioeconomic recovery.

The European Parliament is now ready to start talks on revamping the Dublin system to ensure that asylum seekers are fairly shared among EU member states.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mr. Albert Jaeger visited Tashkent during November 7–16, 2017, to discuss the authorities’ plans to continue reforms of the economy and to update the macroeconomic framework.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team led by Ms. Boriana Yontcheva visited Bamako from October 29 to November 12, 2017, to conduct discussions on the Eighth review of Mali’s economic and financial program supported by the Fund’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF), and the 2017 Article IV consultations.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean, Pacific, Africa and Indian Ocean are among the world’s most vulnerable countries to natural disasters, and climate change is expected to greatly increase their exposure to hurricanes, storm surges, extreme winds, and flooding. A report launched by the World Bank says the transport sector can play a central role in reducing the vulnerability of SIDS, on November 15.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Ricardo Velloso visited Luanda during November 6-15, 2017, to prepare the groundwork for the Article IV consultation mission expected in early 2018, and to hold preliminary discussions on the new government’s economic policy and reform plans to address macroeconomic imbalances and improve economic growth prospects.

Tougher EU rules to fight dumped and subsidised imports from third countries were voted by MEPs on Wednesday.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region may struggle to meet the electricity demands of its growing populations and economies, according to a new World Bank report launched on Novemberj 15. “Shedding Light on Electricity Utilities in the Middle East and North Africa,” offers policy makers, regulators and the managers of electricity utilities an extensive analysis of the current performance of electricity utilities.

New well-being data released expose deep divisions in our society along fault lines of age, wealth, gender and education, on November 15.