Policy Papers
2006
March 20, 2006
Review of Ex Post Assessments and Issues Relating to the Policy on Longer-Term Program Engagement
Description: This review assesses the experience gained to date in carrying out the longer-term program engagement (LTPE) policy and preparing the ex post assessments (EPAs). It discusses the main characteristics of LTPE members and the findings of the EPAs, analyzes the role of the EPAs in the Fund’s due diligence, and provides recommendations for improving their effectiveness.
March 20, 2006
The Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative - Progress Report on Implementation
Description: Reports on the implementation of the MDRI since December 2005, in line with the request made by Directors that a progress report be presented to the Board before the 2006 Spring Meetings. Includes a focus on the implementation of the initiative in the Fund, and covers implementation in other multilateral institutions.
March 16, 2006
Inflation Targeting and the IMF
Description: Inflation targeting is becoming the monetary policy framework of choice in a growing number of emerging market and developing countries. This paper examines the experience of non-industrial inflation targeting countries to review the implications for the Fund’s approach to surveillance, technical assistance, and the design of conditionality in Fund-supported programs. For this examination, the paper uses macroeconomic data, technical assistance reports, and a new survey of central banks in selected emerging markets.
March 2, 2006
Democratic Republic of Congo - Evaluation of the Technical Assistance Program (May 2001 to April 2004) and of Areas for Further Assistance to the Central Bank of Congo
Description: This report discusses the results of the evaluation of the MFD technical assistance program with the BCC. The evaluation covered the period May 2001-April 2004 and focused on foreign exchange and monetary operations, internal audit, accounting, banking supervision. It was conducted during December 14-17, 2006 in conjunction with an MFD advisory mission. The mission examined the implementation of this program by two (2) resident experts (a general advisor to the Governor and a resident advisor responsible for internal audit), three (3) multitopic missions, and ten (10) short-term expert visits.1
February 17, 2006
The Fund's Medium-Term Income - Outlook and Options
Description: This paper puts forward a number of measures which, if implemented, would eliminate the income gap in FY07. However, these measure still leave a large financing gap moving forward. Therefore, further work is needed to examine mechanisms for financing the Fund’s operations in the medium-term in a manner that ensures that the Fund has a sound financial basis to operate without relying on sharp growth in lending.
February 10, 2006
Offshore Financial Centers - The Assessment Program - A Progress Report
Description: This paper updates Executive Directors on the progress since February 2005 in implementing the second phase of the offshore financial center (OFC) program as agreed in November 2003 (see PIN No. 03/138 at http://www.imf.org). At that time, Directors recognized that OFCs could pose prudential and financial integrity risks to the international financial system. In this context, Directors agreed that the monitoring of OFCs' activities and their compliance with supervisory and integrity standards should become a standard component of the financial sector work of the Fund. They also requested periodic updates on the progress with implementation of the program. Earlier updates were provided in March 2004 (Offshore Financial Centers—The Assessment Program—An Update) and February 2005 (Offshore Financial Centers—The Assessment Program—A Progress Report). With the completion of the first round of assessments, staff have begun implementing the second phase of the program.
January 31, 2006
Key Trends in Implementation of the Fund's Transparency Policy
Description:
At the time of the 2005 review of the Fund’s transparency policy, it was agreed that information on key trends in implementation of the transparency policy would be circulated to the Board regularly, along with lists indicating the publication status of reports discussed by the Board (see IMF Executive Board Reviews Fund’s Transparency Policy, August 15, 2005 and The Fund’s Transparency Policy—Proposed Amendments, July 28, 2005).
The set of Tables provided in this report focuses on documents published through December 2005.
January 27, 2006
Fiscal Adjustment for Stability and Growth
Description: This paper aims to inform policymakers, and other interested parties, about the IMF’s approach to fiscal adjustment. The approach focuses on the role of sound and sustainable government finances in promoting macroeconomic stability and growth. Achieving, and maintaining, such a fiscal position often requires adjusting fiscal policy, as well as strengthening fiscal institutions. Fiscal adjustment may involve either tightening or loosening the fiscal stance, depending on individual country circumstances.
January 27, 2006
Guidance Note on the Exogenous Shocks Facility
Description: The ESF, established within the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility and Exogenous Shocks Facility (PRGF-ESF) Trust, complements existing Fund instruments for providing timely support, including financing at more appropriate terms, to low-income members that are facing sudden and exogenous shocks but do not have a PRGF arrangement in place. In particular, the ESF: (i) facilitates quick access to more concessional financing than the Fund’s Emergency Assistance and the Compensatory Financing Facility (CFF);1 (ii) helps members design and implement a policy framework adequate for adjustment to shocks while ensuring adequate safeguards for the use of the Trust resources; and (iii) plays a catalytic role for further and more concessional donor financing.
January 9, 2006
Revised Staff Statement on Principles Underlying the Guidelines on Conditionality and Operational Guidance Note on the 2002 Conditionality Guidelines
Description:
Adoption of new guidelines for conditionality has been motivated by an increasing recognition of the importance of several interrelated principles for successful design and implementation of Fund-supported programs. Chief among these are national ownership of reform programs, parsimony in the application of program-related conditions, tailoring of programs to the member’s circumstances, effective coordination with other multilateral institutions, and clarity in the specification of conditions.
The operational issues covered in the note are grouped into three areas: (i) the process of negotiation and program design; (ii) the design of conditionality; and (iii) the presentation of conditionality in Board papers for the use of Fund resources. In some cases, implementing the guidelines involves the development of new practices. In other cases, new practices had already been adopted in selected cases, which should become routine.