Glossary of Scenario Terms

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Browse or search for a term alphabetically by clicking the appropriate letter above, or enter the term below to search all the pages in the glossary.

 

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hard currency: an internationally accepted means of exchange. Hard currencies are currently considered to be US dollars, Japanese yen, and the euro. Since most international obligations must be paid in hard currency, it is very important to have enough exports, which bring in hard currency, to be able to meet foreign debts. 

 

HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Country) Initiative: an agreement among official creditors designed to help the poorest, most heavily indebted countries escape from unsustainable debt. It includes both multilateral and bilateral creditors, working in coordination with the IMF and World Bank. The HIPC Initiative was launched in 1996, partly due to pressure from many sides—including a campaign for debt relief by rock star Bono of U2. The HIPC Initiative enables poor countries to focus their energies on building the policy and institutional foundations for sustainable development and poverty reduction. 

 

HIV: see human immunodeficiency virus  

 

human immunodeficiency virus: (HIV) the causative agent of the disease AIDS. 

 

humanitarian disaster: a famine or conflict that threatens many civilian lives. The famine in Ethiopia, and the war in Bosnia are examples of humanitarian disasters. 

 

hyperinflation: inflation growing at a very high rate in a very short time.  ILO: see International Labor Organization