In response to rising inflation, Guatemala has adjusted its interest rates eight times in the past two years, and is working carefully to co-ordinate its monetary and fiscal policies, explains the president of Banco de Guatemala. Writer John Rumsey.

The Guatemalan economy has big potential, particularly in fuel and food production. The country’s minister of finance talks about his fiscal reform programme and intent to create a sustainable tax base. Writer John Rumsey.

Just as the banking industry’s big names turned their attention towards Guatemala, the credit crisis struck, plunging the country’s modernisation plans into jeopardy. Writer John Rumsey.

Panama has been capitalising on its prime location between the Americas to attract foreign companies, and has been ramping up its infrastructure to support growth. So how will it be affected by the global slowdown? Writer John Rumsey.

Domestic issues have caused Vietnam’s underdeveloped banking sector to struggle in recent years. Will these difficulties be eased when foreign banks enter the market? Writer Nick Freeman.

Slovakia’s qualification for eurozone entry is a rare success story in a tough year for the country. The qualification brings new opportunities for the banks, and also some logistical challenges. Writer Philip Alexander.

Greece’s avoidance of complex banking products means it has weathered the downturn better than other European countries. Now it is stealing a march on bigger economies by expanding into its near neighbours. Writer Stephen Timewell.

Russian financing is one of the many areas in which banks have been left nursing losses. So how were the banks lending and how have they withstood the recent equity market rout? Writer Natasha de Terán.

Infrastructure should be the cornerstone of Africa’s development partnership, according to the prime minister of Kenya. By The Rt Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga.

Long dependent on exports and its larger neighbours, Uruguay is using tax breaks, duty-free zones and investor-friendly legislation to make itself an attractive prospect for foreign money. By John Rumsey.