Policy Papers
2013
November 18, 2013
Proposed Amendment on the Reform of the IMF Executive Board and Fourteenth General Review of Quotas--Status of Acceptances and Consents
Description: This status report reviews progress toward implementation of the 2010 Quota and Governance Reforms. It updates the status of consents to the proposed quota increases under the 14th General Review of Quotas and of acceptances of the Proposed Seventh Amendment on the Reform of the Executive Board (“Board Reform Amendment” or “Seventh Amendment”) as set out in the Board of Governors Resolution No. 66-2.
November 14, 2013
Assessing Reserve Adequacy - Further Considerations
Description: Reserves remain a critical liquidity buffer for most countries. They are generally associated with lower crisis risks (crisis prevention) as well as space for authorities to respond to shocks (crisis mitigation). While other instruments, such as official credit lines and bilateral swap lines, are also external buffers, for most countries they principally act as a complement to their official reserves. For countries with sound fundamentals and a good policy framework, reserves provide policy makers with considerable space to respond to transitory shocks. However, this space diminishes as fundamentals deteriorate and the existence of adequate reserves does not, by itself, eliminate the risk of market pressures.
November 14, 2013
Amendment to Steps to Address Excessive Delays in the Completion of Article IV Consultations or Mandatory Financial Stability Assessments
Description:
In February 2012, the Executive Board adopted new procedures to address excessive delays in the completion of Article IV consultations.
These consisted of three formal steps to be applied to all members with serious delays, regardless of the reason for delay, recognizing that the obligation to consult with the Fund under Article IV applies uniformly to all members. These steps are: (i) sending a letter from the Managing Director where an Article IV consultation is delayed for more than 12 months from the expected deadline for its conclusion; (ii) publishing a list of members with Article IV consultations delayed for over 18 months; and (iii) holding an informal session to brief Executive Directors on the economic developments and policies of a member with Article IV consultations delayed for over 18 months.
While the implementation of the Decision has been relatively smooth, experience to date has led staff to believe that a modification of the Decision should be considered. In particular, the lack of leeway in the Decision regarding the notification by the Managing Director to a member whose Article IV consultation has been delayed by more than 12 months has proved to be inappropriate in some cases.
November 14, 2013
Modifications to the Current List of Financial Soundness Indicators - Background Paper
November 14, 2013
Modifications to the Current List of Financial Soundness Indicators
Description: The purpose of this paper is to inform Executive Directors on the outcomes of consultations conducted by the IMF’s Statistics Department (STA) on revising the current list of FSIs in response to the global financial crisis and the adoption of a new regulatory framework under the Basel III Accord. In addition, the G-20 Data Gaps Initiative calls on the IMF to review the FSI list (Recommendation no. 2). STA has undertaken these consultations in close collaboration with a broad-based group of national and international experts, international standard setting bodies, IMF’s relevant departments and all FSI-reporting countries and concerned international organizations.
November 13, 2013
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Labor Market Reforms to Boost Employment and Productivity in the GCC
Description:
The GCC growth model has delivered substantial improvements in living standards over several decades. Access to foreign labor has supported rapid growth in the non-oil sector and price stability in the region. It has also resulted in positive spillovers to the migrant-sending countries through large remittance flows. At the same time, governments have increased public-sector employment and have helped raise standards of living.
However, the growth model has involved costs: the public-sector wage bill is relatively high, there is limited employment of nationals in the private sector, labor productivity has declined or stagnated, and there is limited progress on economic diversification.
Full text also available in Arabic.
November 13, 2013
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Economic Prospects and Policy Challenges for the GCC Countries
Description:
The global and regional economic environment remains challenging. Global growth remains tepid, and although some pick-up is expected, risks are tilted to the downside. Recent volatility in financial markets is having a significant impact on some large emerging markets, highlighting the challenges that will be faced in unwinding the Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing policy. Geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East are also high.
Full text also available in Arabic.
November 12, 2013
Statement by the Managing Director on the Work Program of the Executive Board - Executive Board Meeting
Description: This document translates the policy priorities laid out in the Global Policy Agenda (GPA) and the IMFC communiqué into a work agenda for the Executive Board over the next six to twelve months.
November 5, 2013
Staff Guidance Note on the Application of the Joint Bank-Fund Debt Sustainability Framework for Low-Income Countries
Description: Low-income countries (LICs) face significant challenges in meeting their development objectives while at the same time ensuring that their external debt remains sustainable. In April 2005, the Executive Boards of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Development Association (IDA) endorsed the Debt Sustainability Framework (DSF), a tool developed jointly by IMF and World Bank staff to conduct public and external debt sustainability analysis in low-income countries. The DSF aims to help guide the borrowing decisions of LICs, provide guidance for creditors’ lending and grant allocation decisions, and improve World Bank and IMF assessments and policy advice.