"Opportunities for growth and investment in Central America could well improve in the coming years, as the region's ties with the world economy grow closer. This integration, however, also presents important challenges for economic policy to ensure that growth can be sustained and can benefit the poor." "To strengthen the regional dialogue on the policy challenges, the Central American Monetary Council and the IMF sponsored a conference in July 2002 in Antigua, Guatemala, with the participation of most of the ministers of finance, presidents of central banks and financial superintendents in the region." "This book presents most of the papers that served as the background for the policy discussions of the conference. The main messages stress the importance of keeping fiscal policy on a sustainable path, strengthening public investment in basic infrastructure and primary health care and primary and secondary education, and managing the risks associated with partial dollarization."--BOOK JACKET.