Log on to the IMF Press Center
The IMF Press Center is a password-protected
site for working journalists.
Links of Interest
- Sign up here for personalized news & updates from IMF Blog, IMF Finance & Development Magazine, IMF Podcasts and more.
Events: Board Calendar
Country Info: Information by Country
WEO Data: World Economic Outlook Database
Annual Meetings: Information for Journalists
Courses: IMF Institute Learning Channel
UNifeed
IMF Management Completes First Review of the Staff-Monitored Program with Guinea Bissau
November 30, 2021
Blog: Chart of the WeekGlobal Financial Safety Net—A Lifeline for an Uncertain World
November 30, 2021
When crises hit, such as a global health pandemic, countries have a number of financial resources—both internal and external—to draw on.
Blog: Chart of the WeekHow the Rich Get Richer
November 30, 2021
Eleventh Periodic Monitoring Report on The Status of Management Implementation Plans In Response To Board-Endorsed IEO Recommendations
November 30, 2021
The Eleventh Periodic Monitoring Report (PMR) on the Status of Management Implementation Plans (MIPs) in Response to Board-Endorsed Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) Recommendations assessed the progress made over the past 18 months on 72 actions contained in 10 MIPs. Significant progress has been made with the implementation of management actions, despite challenges that have arisen from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, 29 of the 72 actions for which implementation progress is assessed in the Eleventh PMR were deemed to have been satisfactorily implemented, while 35 remain open, and eight actions are being reformulated in line with the Board-approved triage framework for long-standing open actions. Despite the effect of reprioritization to make space for the urgent needs of the membership resulting from the pandemic, the pace of implementation observed in the Eleventh PMR, with the 29 actions closed, significantly exceeds the previous trend of about 15 implemented actions per year. Of the 35 open actions, 16 are more than one year past their implementation due dates. The reprioritization of activities owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and resource constraints on account of several years of flat budgets led to delays in the implementation of several actions, partly because of the postponement of important reviews.
Guinea-Bissau: First Review Under the Staff Monitored Program
November 30, 2021
After two years of protracted political turmoil and delays in reforms, the authorities put in place in 2021 an ambitious fiscal consolidation program to ensure debt sustainability while creating fiscal space to address vast developmental needs. In late July, a 9-month SMP was approved to support the government’s reform program aimed at stabilizing the economy, strengthening governance, and building a sound track-record of policy implementation towards an Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement. Guinea-Bissau is a fragile state with considerable needs to address the COVID-19 pandemic and developmental challenges. A Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) disbursement of SDR 14.2 million (50 percent of quota) was approved in January to provide urgent financing to support critical spending in health and catalyze additional donor resources. The RCF disbursement, the recent SDR 27.2 million allocation (96 percent of quota) and reforms underpinned by the SMP are contributing to address the adverse impact of the pandemic, improve government spending transparency and mitigate debt vulnerabilities, and create conditions that would help restore donor confidence and catalyze much-needed concessional financing.
IMF Executive Board Concludes 2021 Article IV Consultation with Mongolia
November 29, 2021
Mongolia: 2021 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Mongolia
November 29, 2021
A strong export-led recovery is underway. Despite early actions and a successful vaccination campaign, the pandemic is lingering in Mongolia as positivity rates remain high and borders largely closed. An export-led recovery which began in mid-2020, is gathering steam due to booming prices for Mongolia’s exports. Nevertheless, domestic demand, labor markets and the business sector remain weak. Policies were appropriately supportive during the pandemic. However, large, untargeted and continuing fiscal, quasi-fiscal and financial forbearance measures legislated by Parliament have heightened macrofinancial vulnerabilities: public debt has sharply increased, bank balance sheets have further weakened, and the Bank of Mongolia’s (BOM) operational independence has been compromised. On the plus side, external and fiscal buffers have been built, helped by the 2021 IMF SDR allocation of US$98.3 million (95.8 percent of quota), and the rollover of large external liabilities has increased policy space.
The Fund's Income Position for FY 2021 - Actual Outcome
November 24, 2021
This paper reports on the Fund’s income position for FY 2021 following the closing of the Fund’s accounts for the financial year and completion of the external audit. Overall FY 2021 net income amounted to SDR 4.8 billion or SDR 0.7 billion higher than estimated in April, mainly reflecting a larger than anticipated gain reported under IAS 19 (the accounting standard for employee benefits) and endowment returns exceeding earlier projections.