Policy Papers
2009
November 4, 2009
Borrowing Agreement with Danmarks Nationalbank
Description: In light of the multilateral effort to ensure the adequacy of the financial resources available to the International Monetary Fund (the “Fund”), and with a view to supporting the Fund’s ability to provide timely and effective balance of payments assistance to its members, Danmarks Nationalbank agrees to lend to the Fund an SDR-denominated amount up to the equivalent of EUR 1.95 billion, on the terms and conditions set out in this paper.
November 2, 2009
The Flexible Credit Line—Guidance on Operational Issues
Description: The Flexible Credit Line (FCL) was introduced as part of a package of reforms to the Fund’s lending facilities in March 2009. The following provides operational guidance and further background information on the FCL. SPR (the Emerging Markets Division), FIN, and LEG stand ready to clarify any further questions departments may have on the FCL or other aspects of the reforms to lending and conditionality.
October 26, 2009
Review of the Fund's Transparency Policy
Description:
The Fund has come a long way since the inception of its policy toward increased openness some ten years ago. Most Board documents are now published; the volume of information in the Fund’s archives has increased significantly; and the Fund has strengthened outreach efforts to explain its operations and views to the outside world.
Transparency and openness has become increasingly seen as a normal and essential part of the Fund’s business. There are significant benefits from increased transparency: it strengthens the Fund’s ability to influence public debate, subjects the Fund to outside scrutiny, and enhances the Fund’s legitimacy by making it more accountable. These benefits will only loom larger as the Fund takes on a larger role in calling out risks to the global economy, to help prevent future economic and financial crises. Indeed, in today’s world openness from public institutions like the Fund is generally expected.
October 23, 2009
Statement by the Managing Director on the Work Program of the Executive Board Executive Board Meeting November 4, 2009
Description: The Fund, called on to support a global response to the global crisis, has delivered with strengthened surveillance, policy advice and financing with modernized instruments. As I noted in Istanbul, where the membership expressed its appreciation for these accomplishments, we need to focus in the months ahead on four key reform areas—the Istanbul decisions, namely our mandate, our financing role, multilateral surveillance, and governance—while supporting the consolidation of the nascent upturn and helping to establish a stronger post-crisis global economy. Building on the work that we have completed in recent months (Table 1), the noncountry work program set out in Table 2 (which leaves aside country items such as Article IVs and program reviews) aims to accomplish these objectives. This work program is no less ambitious and taxing than the one we have just completed, but I am sure that we can successfully meet this challenge.
October 20, 2009
Mauritius - Assessment Letter for the World Bank and African Development Bank
Description: Mauritius has a long and sustained track record of implementing strong policies, and the authorities have responded appropriately to the global financial crisis by easing macroeconomic policies. While the crisis response has halted the decline in public debt, the public finances are fundamentally sound and external debt is sustainable. In light of the flexible exchange rate, the country’s current reserve position is comfortable, and banks have remained liquid and profitable. With these strong economic fundamentals and an effective institutional policy framework, Mauritius is well placed to weather the current challenges.
October 7, 2009
Third Periodic Monitoring Report on the Status of Implementation Plans in Response to Board-Endorsed IEO Recommendations
Description: Periodic Monitoring Reports (PMRs) were established by the Executive Board in January 2007 to ensure the systematic monitoring of those IEO recommendations that the Board has endorsed. The first PMR was discussed by the Executive Board in January 20081 and the second PMR was discussed by the Evaluation Committee (EVC) in November 2008.2 This third report updates the status of the performance benchmarks related to IEO evaluations covered in the first and second PMRs and listed in Periodic Monitoring Report on the Status of Implementation Plans in Response to Board-Endorsed IEO Recommendations, Table 5. It also updates the implementation status of the management implementation plan (MIP) for Board-endorsed recommendations stemming from the IEO evaluation of "Structural Conditionality in IMF-Supported Programs."
October 3, 2009
Executive Board Report to the IMFC on Reform of Fund Governance
Description: This paper responds to the request in the April 2009 IMFC communiqué for the Executive Board to report on governance reform. The current crisis has shown that the Fund’s decision-making structures can deliver the kind of innovative and rapid responses the membership needs and expects. Even so, there is an undercurrent of doubt about the future, reflecting the perception that much of the recent responsiveness has been driven by outside forces (e.g., the G-20) and that, once the crisis fades, old dissatisfactions with vote, voice and process will resurface to undermine the political backing that has been key to the Fund’s renewal. Hence, the IMFC’s interest in reforms to underpin the institution’s legitimacy and effectiveness is important and timely. This report focuses on five areas: fair quota share; high-level engagement; effective decision-making and representation at the Executive Board; open selection of management (and, more broadly, staff diversity); and updating of the Fund’s mandate.
October 2, 2009
Progress Report on the Activities of the Independent Evaluation Office
Description: Since its last report to the IMFC in April 2009, the IEO has completed its evaluation report on IMF Involvement in International Trade Policy Issues; released the issues papers for the evaluations on the IMF’s role in the run-up to the present crisis and on IMF research; and also issued the 2009 Annual Report.
September 30, 2009
Statement by the Managing Director to the International Monetary and Financial Committee on the IMF's Post-Crisis Role
Notes: This issues note is intended as background for discussions at the upcoming IMFC meeting.