The 2022 Annual Report of the IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics (the Committee) provides an overview of recent trends in global balance of payments and international investment position statistics, on this occasion with special emphasis on the significant effects of the pandemic on selected balance of payments components, particularly cross-border trade, tourism, and financial flows. The Report also summarizes the Committee’s work and presents the work program for the coming year.

The 2021 Annual Report1 of the IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics (the Committee) provides an overview of recent trends in global balance of payments and international investment position statistics, on this occasion with special emphasis on the significant effects of the pandemic on selected balance of payments components, particularly cross-border trade, tourism, and financial flows. The Report also summarizes the Committee’s work and presents the work program for the coming year.

The 2023 Annual Report of the IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics (the Committee) provides an overview of recent trends in global balance of payments and international investment position statistics, including the impact of the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic on selected balance of payments components, particularly cross-border trade, travel, transport, and financial flows. The Report also summarizes the Committee’s work and presents the work program for the coming year.

The Note is meant to assist compilers in the practical application of the agreed defini¬tion to identify resident Special Purpose Entities (SPE) in their jurisdictions and in collecting and reporting SPE-related cross-border data. To this end, these guidelines provide practical advice on the (1) implementa¬tion of the definition of SPEs, (2) possible data sources and processes for collecting and compiling SPE-related statistics, and (3) reporting within the agreed Data Template.

Cameroon, the largest economy in the Central African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC), continues to face the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2021, the IMF’s Executive Board approved three-year arrangements under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for SDR 483 million (about US$ 689.5 million, or 175 percent of Cameroon’s quota) to support the country’s economic and financial reform program. This followed two disbursements in 2020 under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) totaling SDR 276 million, equivalent to about US$382 million or 100 percent of Cameroon’s quota.

Austria is highly vulnerable to spillovers from the war in Ukraine given its high dependence on energy imports from Russia, deep integration into global value chains, and large banking exposures. After high growth in the first half of 2022, growth is projected to fall sharply through 2023 due to impact of the war and the related energy crisis. Over the medium term, annual growth is projected to stabilize around 13⁄4 percent. However, output will remain below the pre-crisis trend. Uncertainty is extraordinarily high with significant downside risks.

Activity returned to its pre-COVID level in 2021. Inflation remains well above the NBK’s 4–6 percent target band, and spillovers from sanctions on Russia will exacerbate price pressures and weaken economic growth in 2022. Kazakhstan benefits from strong fiscal and external buffers but risks to the outlook are elevated due to the uncertain impact on Kazakhstan of the sanctions on Russia and heightened domestic tensions since the January social unrest episode. In the medium term, non-oil growth under the baseline is expected to converge to about 4 percent. Sustainable growth will require greater economic diversification. Climate-related challenges are acute for Kazakhstan given its outsized hydrocarbon sector, high per-capita greenhouse gas emissions, and low domestic energy prices.

Since independence, Bangladesh has achieved impressive economic growth and social development, making steady progress in reducing poverty and significant improvements in living standards. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted this long period of robust economic performance, deepening some earlier vulnerabilities. Stagnating job growth, rising inequality, and slowing poverty reduction remain challenges. Revenues are low, and financial sector vulnerabilities continue to be high. Substantial productive investment in infrastructure, human capital, and climate resilience is needed to achieve the authorities’ aspiration to reach the upper-middle income status in 2031.

Bangladesh is navigating multi-faceted economic challenges. Russia’s war in Ukraine disrupted the strong economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and threatened macroeconomic stability. Continued global financial tightening, coupled with existing vulnerabilities, has challenged near-term macroeconomic management. On the back of import compression, the current account deficit narrowed considerably. Nevertheless, amid an unprecedented reversal of the financial account, the overall balance of payments has deteriorated, leading to a continuous decline in foreign exchange reserves. Recent developments have underscored the need to expedite long-standing structural reforms to put the economy on an inclusive and green growth path.

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