IMF Topical Work

Featured Topic
Artificial Intelligence

The IMF is investigating AI's broader impact on economies and societies by gathering global knowledge through surveillance activities, and by convening key actors to share successful policy responses, foster international consensus and harmonize regulations.

Explore

Featured Topic
Climate Change

The IMF’s latest work on the economic and financial aspects of climate change, including policy advice to our member countries to help them manage risks and capture the opportunities of low-carbon, resilient growth.

Explore

Featured Topic
Fintech

Financial technology—fintech—opens opportunities to boost economic growth, especially for financial inclusion, but policymakers must also address the risks. Read the latest IMF research on these issues, including the future of digital currencies.

Explore

Comprehensive Surveillance Review

The IMF is adapting and strengthening its economic analysis of countries, known as surveillance. To keep up with the changes in the world, the IMF is modernizing surveillance to help policymakers better prepare for a transforming economic landscape.

Explore

Fragile and Conflict-Affected States (FCS)

The IMF's Fragile States Strategy aims to provide robust, well-tailored, and longer-term support to help these vulnerable countries achieve macroeconomic stability, strengthen resilience, promote sustainable and inclusive growth, and exit fragility.

Explore

Fiscal Policies

The IMF has been a leading source of fiscal policy and management expertise worldwide. The IMF monitors and analyzes global fiscal trends and advises IMF member countries on fiscal issues directly. This page highlights the main fiscal policy issues currently under discussion, as well as provides links to research, publications, and commentary.

Explore

inquality
Income Inequality

Excessive inequality can erode social cohesion, lead to political polarization, lower economic growth and can be detrimental for macroeconomic stability, but IMF policies can be designed to tackle inequality without negative repercussions for growth.

Explore

Gender topics
Gender

While equality between men and women is in itself an important development goal, women's economic participation is also a part of the growth and stability equation.

Explore

Governance and Anti-Corruption

Improving governance and fighting corruption could lead to more inclusive and sustainable growth. This webpage has articles, blogs, reports, videos, and more on the IMF's work on this topic.

Explore

COVID-19

The IMF is fully committed to supporting our member countries, particularly the most vulnerable; we have the tools to help; and we are coordinating closely with our partner institutions.

Explore

Integrated Policy Framework

IMF’s research on a new approach to help countries respond to fluctuations in international capital flows.

Explore

Sustainable Development Goals

The IMF is committed to the SDGs, and is supporting its members in their implementation in areas relevant to its mandate of financial stability and sustainable and inclusive economic growth. At a broad level, IMF engagement on the SDGs is aligned with the five SDG pillars of people, prosperity, planet, peace

Explore

Sovereign Debt

The ability to carry debt varies widely among countries. Debt vulnerabilities have increased especially in low-income countries and some emerging market economies.

Explore

Special Drawing Rights

The Special Drawing Rights (SDR) is an international reserve asset created by the IMF to supplement the official reserves of its member countries.

Explore

Trade

Open, stable, and transparent trade policies are key for economic growth and resilience and for addressing key global challenges, including climate change, food security, and underdevelopment. The Fund’s longstanding role in international trade and trade policy is rooted in our mandate, which we deliver to countries through analysis and policy advice. These activities are complemented by trade work related to lending and capacity development.

Explore