WORLD BANK GROUP AND INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND 2003 Spring Meetings APRIL 12–13, 2003 WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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| Information for Journalists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All working press must obtain Meetings accreditation. Journalists can register on-line, or fax the registration form to [1] 202-623-4100. The registration deadline is April 9, 2003. To be accredited, you must hold valid press credentials, or provide substantive evidence of professional bona fides:
PRESS CREDENTIALS PICK-UP Journalists who have been approved for accreditation can pick up credentials starting at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 7, at the World Bank's H Building Auditorium, G Street entrance, between 19th and 20th Streets, NW, Washington, DC. You are required to present press credentials bearing a photograph. The Spring Meetings credential grants access to the Press Room, press conferences, and briefings in IMF Headquarters. PRESS ROOM ARRANGEMENTS The Press Room at IMF Headquarters, 700 19th St. NW, Red and Blue Levels, will open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9, and close on Sunday evening, April 13. Technicians for financial news wires and other accredited news organizations may access the IMF Headquarters press room starting at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 8, through special arrangements with the IMF's Media Relations Division (media@imf.org). The IMF Headquarters press room has limited space, and operates on a first come, first-served basis. Each desk will be equipped with power outlets and a telephone that enables only free local calls. Long-distance calls may be placed collect, or through telephone credit cards. Journalists will be able to purchase telephone cards on site for direct-dial long-distance calls. Press Room telephones can be used for data transmission via personal laptops. Self-service fax machines will be available in the Press Room, although use will require a major credit card. Computers are not provided to journalists. Internet kiosks will be available in the Press Rooms. 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 Spring 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 POOLS The photo opportunities at the start of ministerial committee meetings (Group of 24, Group of 10, International Monetary and Financial Committee and Development Committee) will be pooled. A selection of still photos in high resolution will be available after each event on the Spring Meetings web site. TELEVISION TRANSMISSION AND FACILITIES To inquire about the limited video and audio transmission arrangements from IMF Headquarters, please send an email to media@imf.org, or a fax to [1] 202-623-6772. Inquiries should be submitted no later than Friday, April 4. HOTELS Journalists planning to cover the Spring Meetings are responsible for making their own hotel arrangements. The District of Columbia's official tourism web site offers some hotel booking services, and guidance. The web site is located at www.washington.org. OFFICIAL EVENTS Except for brief photo-opportunities at the start of the meetings, press cannot attend the meetings of
All press briefings are transcribed and posted on the external web sites of the IMF and World Bank Group as soon as possible. Wednesday, April 9, 9:00 a.m., Main Press Briefing Room, IMF Headquarters, Room B-702: World Economic Outlook (WEO); IMF Economic Counsellor and Research Department Director Kenneth Rogoff (embargoed until 11:00 a.m.) (Copies of the IMF's WEO will be available on a strict embargo basis to the press 24 hours before the report's scheduled release. Embargoed copies can be secured electronically by sending a formal e-mail request to media@imf.org. The WEO documents, together with the contents of the press conference, will be under strict embargo until 11:00 a.m. Washington time on April 9.) Thursday, April 10, 9:00 a.m., Main Press Briefing Room, IMF Headquarters, Room B-702: World Bank Group President James D. Wolfensohn Thursday, April 10, 10:30 a.m., Main Press Briefing Room, IMF Headquarters, Room B-702: IMF Managing Director Horst Köhler Friday, April 11, 11:00 a.m., Main Press Briefing Room, IMF Headquarters, Room B-702: African Finance Ministers Friday, April 11, approx. 4:00 p.m., Main Press Briefing Room, IMF Headquarters, Room B-702: Chair of the Group of 24 Ministers, Mr. Fuad Siniora, Ministry of Finance of Lebanon Saturday, April 12, (late afternoon), Main Press Briefing Room, IMF Headquarters, Room B-702: IMFC Chairman Gordon Brown and IMF Managing Director Horst Köhler Sunday, April 13, 10:00 a.m., Main Press Briefing Room, IMF Headquarters, Room B-702: World Development Indicators (WDI); World Bank Chief Economist Nick Stern (The WDI 2003 will be available to the press on the World Bank's Online Media Briefing Center at http://media.worldbank.org approximately one week before the April 13 launch. The OMBC is a password-protected web site for journalists only.) Sunday, April 13, (afternoon), Main Press Briefing Room, IMF Headquarters, Room B-702: DC Chairman Trevor Manuel and World Bank Group President James D. Wolfensohn CONTACT INFORMATION
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