International Monetary Fund
World Bank Group

Information for Journalists

>> Press Schedule <<

All working press must have Meetings credentials to attend the Annual Meetings. The registration deadline for press expired on Tuesday, September 5, 2006. To be accredited, journalists must hold valid press credentials. If such credentials are not held, or are in question, it will be at the discretion of the IMF and World Bank to determine whether access to the Annual Meetings is granted.

Visa Requirements

For visa information, please visit the Singapore 2006 website for details.

http://www.singapore2006.org/sections/travellers/visa.html

The lack of a valid visa may cause authorities to deny boarding at the port of embarkation, as well as delays in clearance with immigration authorities upon arrival at the port of entry into Singapore. It is strongly recommended that all participants check whether they require a visa to enter Singapore.

Freelance journalists

Freelance journalists, including photographers, must provide clear evidence they are on assignment from a specific news organization or publication. A valid assignment letter from that news organization, or publication, is required. Photographic agencies must provide clear evidence from a client news organization or publication. Documentation cannot be processed after September 5, 2006.

Press Credentials Pick-Up

Journalists who have been approved for accreditation can pick up credentials starting at 8:00 a.m., Monday, September 11, at the Press Registration Desk, located in Singapore's City Hall, 3 Saint Andrews's Road, Singapore 178958. Journalists are required to present press credentials and photo identification.

The Annual Meetings press credentials grant access to the Press Room at the Suntec Singapore, press conferences, the Program of Seminars at the Pan Pacific Hotel, and the Plenary of the Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank Boards of Governors.

Press Room Arrangements

The press room in the Suntec Singapore is located on the third floor. It will open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 13, and close on Wednesday night, September 20.

Technicians for financial news wires and other accredited news organizations may arrange for advanced access to the press room starting at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, September 11, through special arrangements. To arrange early access, media need to contact Mr. SIE Hui Hoang (sie_hi_hoang@mica.gov.sg; Tel: (65) 6837 9854). All media personnel, including technical staff, need to have Annual Meetings credentials to enter Suntec Singapore.

The press room has limited space, and operates on a first come, first-served basis. Desks will be equipped with power outlets and telephones that allow free local calls. Long-distance calls can be made by using SingTel’s prepaid calling cards, which can be purchased in the press center as well as the Commercial Communications Center on Level 1 of Suntec Singapore. All workstations in the press center will have broadband access (via LAN network or WiFi). Self-service fax machines will be available in the press center. For local faxes, there will be no charge. For international faxes, journalists will need to use SingTel’s prepaid calling cards. The press center provides wireless (WiFi) access for personal laptops.

Computers are not provided to journalists. However, internet kiosks will be available in the press room. The Internet kiosks allow easy access to the IMF web site and World Bank Group web site. The web sites will have links to a joint Annual Meetings' site containing the schedule of press events, as well as transcripts, news releases, and other information as it becomes available.

Interview Requests

The IMF and World Bank media relations divisions handle requests for interviews with IMF and World Bank officials during the Meetings. However, the press officers do not service interview requests for official delegations to the Meetings. Those requests must be made directly to the delegations.

TV and Still Photo Opportunities

There will be photo opportunities at the start of ministerial committee meetings (Group of 24, International Monetary and Financial Committee, and Development Committee), which may be pooled depending on demand. A selection of high-resolution still photos will also be available after each event on the Annual Meetings web site.

Television Transmission and Facilities

To inquire about video and audio transmission arrangements from Suntec Singapore, please contact Mr. Lim Hwa Meng of MediaCorp Technologies (hwameng@mediacorptechnologies.com; Tel: (65) 6357 5485 or (mobile) (65) 9820 9983).

Hotels

Journalists who need accommodations during the Annual Meetings should visit the Singapore 2006 web site for details:

http://www.singapore2006.org/sections/media/accommodation.html

Singapore 2006 Media Briefings and Visits

Organizers of Singapore 2006 have put together an exciting selection of briefings and visit programmes which cater to the different interests of the media. Those interested in any of the programmes should approach or call the Singapore Desk at the Press Centre to make a booking at least one day in advance. Prior to the meetings (i.e. Sept. 13-20), queries should be directed to mica_mediavisits@mica.gov.sg. Information about these media briefings and visits can be found be found here in the 2006 Singapore website.

Transportation will be provided for all visit programmes from Suntec Singapore.

Official Events

Except for brief photo-opportunities at the start of committee meetings, press cannot attend those meetings. However, the Plenary sessions of the Boards of Governors of the IMF and World Bank Group are open to the press.

• The Group of 24 Ministers, which is known officially as the Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four on International Monetary Affairs and Development, Friday, September 15.
• The International Monetary and Financial Committee of the IMF's Board of Governors, Sunday, September 17.
• The Development Committee, known officially as the Joint Ministerial Committee of the Boards of Governors of the Bank and the Fund on the Transfer of Real Resources to Developing Countries, Monday, September 18.

The Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the Group of Seven major industrialized countries typically meet at the time of the Annual Meetings. Arrangements for this meeting are being made through the Japanese embassy in Singapore.

Press Conferences

A schedule of the press conferences is posted and will be updated throughout the Meetings. Transcripts of all press briefings will be posted on the external web sites of the IMF and World Bank Group as soon as possible. Most briefings will also be web cast live.

IMF Media Briefing Center - Embargoed Information The Media Briefing Center offers advance access to embargoed IMF information. It is a password-protected site for working journalists only. Already Registered? Login Not Registered Yet? Register today!

World Bank Media Briefing Center Are you an accredited journalist who agrees to abide by World Bank media embargoes? Yes, I am an accredited journalist and I would like to request a username and password. No, but I might want to subscribe to some of the World Bank's free e-mail newsletters. Already Registered? If you are already registered and have a username and password, please click here. If you are registered but have forgotten your password, please click here.

Contact Information