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This publication discusses the switch from unfunded to funded pension regimes in Latin America; the implicit pension debt; and transitional fiscal costs under different policy options.

This publication presents evidence on the effectiveness of regulations in Colombia since September 1993, when traditional exchange controls were replaced by price-based regulations.

In the 1990’s, the economic performance of the Latin American and Caribbean economies was highly dependent on capital inflows into the region. Access to external financing coupled with better...

This publication examines the developments of international capital flows into the Caribbean. It reviews the experience of the region in the 1990s with respect to both official and private capital...

Reviewing and comparing the economic histories of Europe and Latin America we can observe that the universality of social security systems and the concurrent development of labor market institutions...

This paper addresses the social effects of macroeconomic volatility in Brazil as well as the burdens and challenges volatility imposed on social policies. It covers the years 1995-2002, a period when...

Based on an analysis of the Argentinean currency board and the full dollarization scheme in Ecuador, this paper argues that an intermediate exchange rate regime is a better option for countries trying...

This paper uses a political economy approach to examine the nature and social impact of Ireland’s economic miracle, in particular the period of high economic growth known as the Celtic Tiger that...

The overall objective of this report is to describe the Nordic model of social and labour market policy with special emphasis on its mechanisms for social protection from health hazards, aging...

Universal pensions available to everyone of eligible age, regardless of income, assets or employment history, have many advantages over targeted pensions. In this study, the author examines the...

This paper highlights the current status of social security in the Caribbean region. By presenting indicators of recent performance and in particular by identifying challenges that schemes in the...

This paper discuses the rationale of social insurance and social insurance institutions as they have emerged and developed in economically mature nations. Key issues in system and institution design...

The present work examines the access to credit by financially constrained Small and Medium Enterprises in Argentina over the last decade, focusing on the role played by public banks, state credit...

This paper analyzes the recent development of pension funds in Brazil in the 1990s. It draws lessons from Brazil's recent experience to assess the potential of these institutions as suppliers of funds...

The present study looks at the effect of fertility on maternal labour supply in Argentina and Mexico, exploiting a source of exogenous variability in family size first introduced by Angrist and Evans...

This paper presents a methodology for adjusting measures of income and poverty for the risk faced by a household. The approach draws on the standard economic concept of risk aversion, and it is based...

The unprecedented accumulation of international reserves by emerging markets raises the question of how to best utilize those funds. Should they be held as a war chest to guard against the risk of...

The present study examines the evolution and performance of development banking in Trinidad and Tobago, focussing in particular on the Agriculture Development Bank (ADB). It gives a brief sketch of...

This document analyses development banking in Jamaica, identifying its weaknesses and proposes solutions to address its shortcomings. The first part of the document provides an overview of development...

Development banking seeks to define and resolve the imperfections in credit markets and to address concerns regarding social equity by targeting loan and other support resources to priority sectors...