Asia-Pacific Regional Seminar

IMF’s Latest World Economic Outlook and Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and Pacific 

As the global economy faces challenges from multiple shocks and geopolitical fragmentation pressures, how could we maintain financial stability, safeguard fiscal sustainability and support more inclusive and transformational growth? The IMF Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific hosted a seminar with authors of the latest World Economic Outlook and the Asia-Pacific Regional Economic Outlook to discuss the global and regional outlook and policies. The authors also shared insights of thematic analyses on (1) the recent developments of inflation expectations, (2) the vulnerabilities and risks connected to fragmentation of commodity markets, and (3) the spillovers of the Chinese economy under different scenarios.

Agenda:

Tuesday, October 24, 2023
** Time shown below is in Japan Standard Time (UTC/GMT +9)
9:30 AM Registration
10:00 AM Introduction
Akihiko Yoshida, Director, IMF Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
10:05 AM

Presentations on World Economic Outlook (WEO)

Global Prospects and Policies, Fragmentation and Commodity Markets: Vulnerabilities and Risks (WEO Ch.1, Ch.3) by Mehdi Benatiya Andaloussi, Economist, Research Department, IMF
Presentation on Ch.1 / Ch.3

Managing Expectations: Inflation and Monetary Policy (WEO Ch.2) by Silvia Albrizio, Economist, Research Department, IMF
Presentation
10:35 AM

Presentations on Asia-Pacific Regional Economic Outlook (REO) 

Challenges to Sustaining Growth and Disinflation in the Asia and Pacific (REO Ch.1-2) by Shanaka Jayanath (Jay) Peiris, Division Chief, Asia and Pacific Department, IMF
Presentation

The Impact of China-OECD de-risking strategies (REO Ch.3) by Diego Cerdeiro, Economist, Asia and Pacific Department, IMF
Presentation
11:05 AM Q&A session
11:25 AM Closing & post-event survey

Speakers:

  • Silvia Albrizio is an Economist in the World Economic Studies Division of the IMF’s Research Department. Previously, she has worked at the Bank of Spain, at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development as well as at the European Central Bank. She studied at Bocconi University, received a Master degree from Pompeu Fabra University and completed her Ph.D. in Economics at European University Institute. Her research covers a range of issues in the area of monetary, fiscal and environmental policies, firm's productivity and investment.

  • Mehdi Benatiya Andaloussi is an economist in the World Economic Outlook Division of the IMF’s Research Department. He has worked on IMF programs in country teams of the Western Hemisphere and the Middle East and Central Asia Departments. he previously worked at the World Bank, the Fundação Getúlio Vargas, and the Boston Consulting Group. Mehdi’s research focuses on a range of issues in macroeconomics, energy economics and real estate finance. He obtained his Ph.D. from Columbia University, is a graduate from l’Ecole des Mines de Paris and studied at Hong Kong University. 

  • Shanaka Jayanath (Jay) Peiris is currently the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Asia and Pacific Department’s (APD) Division Chief of Regional Studies in charge of APDs flagship Regional Economic Outlook publication, and Mission Chief for the Philippines. Before that, he was the Advisor to the Director of APD, Mission Chief for Myanmar and Deputy Division Chief covering ASEAN macro financial Surveillance. Prior to this, his past stints were: IMF’s Resident Representative in the Philippines; Mission Chief to Tonga, and extensive surveillance and program experience in Asia and Africa. He joined the Economist Program at the IMF in 2001 after completing his D. Phil (PhD) in Economics at Oxford University as a British Chevening Scholar.

  • Diego Cerdeiro is an economist at the IMF, currently working in the Regional Studies Division of the Asia and Pacific Department. At the IMF, he has worked on China, Honduras, Panama, Tuvalu, and the United States, also contributing to various World Economic Outlook and External Sector reports. He has done research on international macroeconomics, international trade, financial contagion, and network theory. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge.