Policy Papers
2019
September 5, 2019
Age Limit for the Managing Director: Proposed Amendment of Section 14(c) of the By-Laws
Description: At the request of Executive Directors, and in light of the publicly announced nomination of a candidate who is over the age of sixty-five for the post of Managing Director, I am circulating the attached draft Report of the Executive Board to the Board of Governors. The draft report proposes an amendment of Section 14(c) of the By-Laws regarding the age limit for the Managing Director.
August 15, 2019
Rules and Regulations for the Investment Account
Description: Rules and Regulations for the Investment Account, which were adopted on January 23, 2013 and amended thereafter, were further amended on May 13, 2019 by the Executive Board of the IMF.
August 6, 2019
Extension Of The Periods For Consent To And Payment Of Quota Increase
Description: On June 25, 2019, the IMF’s Executive Board approved a further six-month extension of the period for members to consent to an increase in their quotas under the Fourteenth General Review of Quotas (“Fourteenth Review”) through December 27, 2019. The deadline was due to expire on June 28, 2019. However, Board of Governors Resolution No. 66-2 provides that the Executive Board may extend the period for consent as it may determine. An extension under Resolution No. 66-2 also extends the periods of consent for quota increases under the 2008 Reform of Quota and Voice (Resolution No. 63-2) and the Eleventh General Review of Quotas (Resolution No. 53-2). The Executive Board also approved a further six-month extension of the period for payment of quota increases under the Fourteenth Review, and an extension for the payment of the quota increases under the 2008 Reform, through December 27, 2019.
August 6, 2019
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI)—Statistical Update
Description: This report reviews developments in the implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI). It also provides updates on debt service and poverty-reducing expenditure by beneficiary countries, as well as on the cost of debt relief, creditor participation rates, and litigation against HIPCs.
July 16, 2019
Statement by The Managing Director on the Work Program of The Executive Board
Description: This Work Program translates the strategic directions and policy priorities laid out in the Spring 2019 Global Policy Agenda and the International Monetary and Financial Committee Communiqué into an Executive Board agenda for the next twelve months. Its main policy priorities and related deliverables are as follows: • Support domestic policies to enhance resilience and inclusion: • Upgrade global cooperation to level the playing field and address other shared challenges • Adapt the Fund’s toolkits to lead and support change: • Continue to modernize the Fund to deliver for the future:
July 3, 2019
The Revised EBA-Lite Methodology
Description: The Methodology review identified three broad areas for improving the EBA-Lite methodology: (1) expanding the fundamentals and policy determinants in the CA and REER regressions to better capture the external balance of EBA-Lite countries; (2) identifying alternatives to regression models for external assessments of large exporters of exhaustible commodities; and (3) a revised approach for the assessment of external sustainability in highly indebted economies. Accordingly, the revised methodology consists of three modules: 1) Regression Module 2) Module for External Assessments of Exporters of Exhaustible Commodities 3) Module for the Assessment of External Sustainability
June 28, 2019
Review Of The Fund’s Income Position For FY 2019 And FY 2020
Description: This paper reviews the Fund’s income position for FY 2019 and FY 2020. The paper updates projections provided in April 2018 and proposes decisions for the current year. The paper includes a comprehensive review of the Fund’s income position as required under Rule I-6(4). No change is proposed in the margin for the rate of charge that was established under this rule in April 2018 for the period FY 2019–20.
June 27, 2019
Fintech: The Experience So Far
Description: The paper finds that while there are important regional and national differences, countries are broadly embracing the opportunities of fintech to boost economic growth and inclusion, while balancing risks to stability and integrity.
June 26, 2019
Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust-Review of Interest Rate Structure
Description: This paper reviews the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) interest rate structure for the period July 2019–June 2021. Since the interest rate mechanism was first established in 2009, no interest has been charged on PRGT credit. In line with the package of reforms proposed in the parallel Review of LIC Facilities, this paper proposes to align interest rates on the SCF with those on the ECF. Based on the average SDR rate over the most recently observed 12-month period, the proposed revised interest rate mechanism would result in zero interest rates on both ECF and SCF credit for the period July 2019–June 2021.
June 26, 2019
Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust-Review of the Interest Rate Structure-Postponement
Description: This paper proposes to postpone the deadline for the next interest rate review by six months in light of the timing of the second stage of the Low-Income Countries (LIC) Facilities Review, and to maintain the zero percent interest rates applicable to ECF, SCF and ESF balances for this period.