Summing Up by the Acting Chairman—Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries—Proposal for Streamlining Preliminary Documents, Executive Board Meeting 00/108, November 3, 2000

Directors considered the proposals for streamlining preliminary HIPC documents in EBS/00/207. They agreed that preliminary documents should be streamlined as proposed in paragraph 7 of the paper to focus on a few key issues, notably: eligibility; track record; summary debt sustainability analysis; timing of possible decision points; possible triggers for the floating completion point; and likely assistance under the Initiative. A number of Directors emphasized that streamlining should not be allowed to compromise the quality and coverage of the information presented to the Board. Some Directors considered that reaching a decision point before the end of the year may be premature for some of the country cases currently envisaged for consideration within that time frame. Accordingly, requests were made that the preliminary documents also include the rationale for the choice of completion point triggers, details on the debt service profiles before and after HIPC Initiative assistance, more information on expenditure tracking and monitoring of debt relief, plans for interim relief, and policies on transparency. Directors also stressed that adequate information on a country’s performance under the PRGF, and the justifications for any shortening of the required track record—where appropriate—should be included. The staff will take these factors into account when preparing these papers.

Directors also supported the proposal that, for the remainder of this year, the streamlined preliminary documents be discussed by the Board on a case-by-case basis, after a review period of five working days.

Directors generally supported a review of the experience with these arrangements early in 2001.

BUFF/00/165

November 7, 2000