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This paper presents São Tomé and Príncipe's Request for Disbursement Under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF). The authorities of São Tomé and Príncipe have moved swiftly to develop a plan to address the major challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The authorities plan to increase well-targeted health and social spending to assist the most vulnerable, support the unemployed, incentivize private businesses to retain workers, and enhance fiscal transparency and good governance. These steps would help cushion the economic impact while ensuring that public funds are spent appropriately. Prudent loan restructuring while maintaining prudential standards will help alleviate liquidity pressures and safeguard financial stability. The authorities' policies focus on immediate measures to protect against the virus, assistance to the most vulnerable, and countercyclical measures during this crisis. Public financial management will be reinforced to ensure the disbursement is used appropriately and steps will be taken to speed up the recovery next year. The IMF staff assesses that the eligibility requirements for the RCF are met and supports the authorities' request. While the country is in debt distress due to long-standing external arrears, the debt level is deemed sustainable, and there is adequate capacity to repay the IMF. The financing would help prevent a much more severe and prolonged contraction, with a substantial social impact.

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This paper presents The Gambia's Requests for Disbursement Under the Rapid Credit Facility and Modification of Performance Criteria Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement. The immediate challenge is to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), strengthen medical care, implement the social distancing and other containment measures, and mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic, especially on the most vulnerable. It is important to establish appropriate criteria and reporting requirements for the use of emergency spending and ensure that COVID-related operations and outlays undergo a full independent audit to enhance transparency. In order to safeguard debt sustainability, the authorities are encouraged to seek additional grant financing for emergency spending. The Central Bank of The Gambia should continue to monitor developments in the financial sector, to ensure adequate liquidity and oversight, while avoiding a blanket weakening of supervisory standards. A strengthening of market surveillance under the existing regulations will help detect and address appropriately any weakening of banks' foreign exchange positions. Maintaining a flexible exchange rate will help absorb balance-of-payments shocks.

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Despite global economic volatility, growth in developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP) was resilientduring 2018, and in the first quarter of 2019. The growth outlook for developing EAP is expected tosoften in 2019, as China's economic expansion continues to moderate. Downside risks remain, including expected moderated global demand, continued trade tensions, the risk of a faster-thanexpectedfinancial tightening in developed economies, the risk of weaker-than-expected growth inChina, and continued financial market volatility. Also, or in combination, these risks could weigh on the region's growth prospects in the short-to-medium term. To manage global and regionalheadwinds, developing EAP economies should reduce short-term vulnerabilities and enhance buffers, redouble their commitment to an open, rules-based international trade and investment framework, including through deeper regional economic integration, and deepen structural reforms. Theintensification of risks underscores the need to continue to enhance economic security by investingin human capital and strengthen social assistance.

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