Press Release No. 16/13

Press Release:IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde Presents New Staff Report on

January 20, 2016

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is releasing today a new staff report looking at the refugee surge into Europe, aiming to provide a framework to inform discussions with member countries who have asked the Fund to bring its cross-country experience to contribute to the analysis of this important issue.

“The surge in refugees is a challenge facing many parts of the world. It also has many dimensions – social, political, and economic,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, who presented the report today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “Today we are publishing a new study from IMF staff which focuses on the economic dimension of the refugee challenge facing Europe. The study indicates that, with appropriate policies – especially effective integration into the labor market – the potential from refugees can be harnessed for the benefit of all. The circumstances facing each country are different and so should be the response but, ultimately, the refugee surge is a global challenge that must be met through global cooperation.”