IMF Conference

The IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department and the Offices in Europe are organizing a high-level conference on “Exiting from High Public Debt,” at the IMF’s Paris Office on January 19, 2010.

The event will provide a forum for discussion of a range of issues related to the risks arising from high public indebtedness, including the implications for interest rates and growth, for public debt management, and for financial markets more generally. The conference will also cover debt reduction strategies, with specific reference to lessons that can be drawn from historical experiences.

Please note that the event is by invitation only.

PROGRAM

January 19, 2010
Opening Session
08:30	Registration
09:00-09:10	Introductory Remarks Mr. Emmanuel van der Mensbrugghe, Director, IMF Offices in Europe Mr. Carlo Cottarelli, Director, Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) IMF
09:10-09:30	Keynote Speech Mr. Murilo Portugal, Deputy Managing Director, IMF
Session 1: Fiscal Outlook, Trends and Risks
09:30-10:45	Chair: Mr. Pier Carlo Padoan, Deputy Secretary General and Chief Economist, OECD Presenter (15 minutes): Mr. Philip Gerson, FAD Discussants (15 minutes each): Mr. Benoît Coeuré, Directeur, Direction générale du Trésor et de la politique économique, French Ministry of Finance Mr. Jean Pisani-Ferry, Director, Bruegel Institute General discussion (25 minutes)
10:45-11:15	***Coffee Break***
Session 2: Debt, Interest Rates and Growth
11:15-12:30	Chair: Professor Sir Tony Atkinson, Oxford University Presenter (15 minutes): Mr. Manmohan S. Kumar, FAD Discussants (15 minutes each): Mr. Daniele Franco, Head, Structural Economic Analysis Department, Bank of Italy Mr. Christian Kastrop, Deputy Director-General, Economic Policy Department, German Ministry of Finance General discussion (25 minutes)
12:30-14:00	***Lunch***
Session 3: Implications of High Debt for Public Debt Management and Financial Markets
14:00-15:15	Chair: Mr. Ad van Riet, Head of the Fiscal Policies Division, European Central Bank Presenter (15 minutes): Mr. Udaibir Das, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF Discussants (15 minutes each): Ms. Samantha Beckett, Director of Operations, HM Treasury Mr. Pierre Cailleteau, Managing Director, Moody’s Sovereign Risk Group General discussion (25 minutes)
Session 4: Debt Reduction Strategies—Lessons from the Past
15:15-16:30	Chair: Mr. Marek Belka, European Department, IMF Presenter (15 minutes): Mr. Per Molander, Director General, Swedish Social Insurance Inspectorate Discussants (15 minutes each): Mr. Richard Portes, Professor, London Business School, CEPR Mr. Luc Leruth, IMF Offices in Europe General discussion (25 minutes)
16:30-17:00	***Coffee Break***
Session 5: Round-Table Discussion
17:00-18:00	Chair: Mr. Carlo Cottarelli Panelists: Mr. Marek Belka, IMF Mr. Marco Buti, Director-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, EC Mr. Pier Carlo Padoan, OECD Mr. Tom Scholar, Managing Director International and Finance, HM Treasury Mr. György Szapáry, Central European University