The Acting Chair’s Summing Up—Eligibility to Use the Fund’s Facilities for Concessional Financing, 2017, Executive Board Meeting 17/38, May 15, 2017

Executive Directors welcomed the opportunity to review the PRGT-eligibility framework and the associated list of PRGT-eligible countries. They emphasized that PRGT eligibility should continue to be guided by a framework that is transparent and rules-based, ensures uniformity of treatment among members in similar circumstances, and preserves the Fund’s scarce concessional resources for the use of low-income members that are most in need, while maintaining the self-sustainability of PRGT lending. Directors reiterated that the eligibility framework should remain broadly aligned with International Development Association (IDA) practices, while allowing scope for some differences given the different mandates of the two institutions.

Directors generally concurred that the existing framework remains broadly appropriate, and did not see a need to introduce changes at this time. In this context, they noted that none of the countries that graduated recently from the PRGT-eligibility list are currently at risk of re-entering it.

Directors agreed that no members are currently eligible for entry onto, or graduation from, the list of PRGT-eligible countries. They encouraged staff to continue monitoring closely the potential demand for PRGT resources, underscoring the importance of maintaining the self-sustained capacity of the PRGT. In this regard, Directors welcomed that the decision to keep the list of PRGT-eligible countries unchanged at this review is consistent with the principle of self-sustainability of the PRGT. Noting that 13 countries meet the income and/or market access criteria but are assessed to face serious short-term vulnerabilities,

Directors emphasized the importance of continuing to help these countries address these vulnerabilities and move towards graduation.

Directors agreed that the next review of PRGT eligibility would be held on the standard two-year cycle.

BUFF/17/27,

May 17, 2017