Saturday, February 9, 2019
|
8:30– 9:00
|
Welcome Addresses
- H.E. Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, Ministry of Finance, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Dr. Abdulrahman A. Al Hamidy, Director General Chairman of the Board, Arab Monetary Fund (AMF)
- Mme. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
English ► : ► العربية : français ►
a Saudi National, born in 1960, holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oregon (1991). Before serving as Director General Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Arab Monetary Fund, as of March 2014, Mr. Al Hamidy, was Vice Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) between 2009 and 2013. Mr. Al Hamidy also served as Deputy Governor for Technical Affairs at SAMA as well as Director General at Economic Research and Statistics and, earlier, as Director of Training, Research, and Information at the Institute of Banking. Earlier, he taught economics at the King Saud University. Mr. Al Hamidy was also a member of the Board of Executive Directors of the Arab Monetary Fund in 2003–13, as well as other organizations, including the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, Saudi Development Fund, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, Council of Cooperative Health Insurance, and Saudi Stock Exchange Co. Mr. Al Hamidy has participated in international meetings of the Group of Twenty, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank, as well as meetings of the Bank of International Settlements, Financial Stability Board, and Council of Islamic Financial Services Board. With his appointment as Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, Mr. Al Hamidy also holds the position of Chief Executive Chairman of the Board of the Arab Trade Financing Program.
|
9:00– 10:00
|
Session 1. Macroeconomic Developments and Prospects
The ongoing cyclical recovery provides an opportunity to build buffers and implement structural reforms aimed at boosting potential growth, which remains relatively low. This session examines the recent global and regional economic developments and outlook, with a focus on key fiscal policy challenges.
- Chair: H.E. Shukri Bishara, Minister of Finance, Palestine, Chairman of the Council of Arab Finance Ministers
-
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Jihad Azour, Middle East and Central Asia Department, IMF
General Discussion
|
| 10:00– 10:15 |
Coffee Break
|
10:15– 12:00
|
Session 2. Fiscal Rules and Frameworks
Fiscal rules are widely used. If properly designed and effectively implemented, fiscal rules can help fiscal sustainability, enhance transparency, and signal to financial markets the course of fiscal policy. The session will examine the extent to which fiscal rules could be useful in Arab countries, taking into account the specific challenges in the countries of the region.
- Chair: H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Abdullah. AI-Jadaan, Minister of Finance, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
-
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Abdelhak Senhadji, Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
-
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Niels Thygesen, Chairman of European Fiscal Board (EFB)
Lessons from Arab Regions:
- H.E. Mohamed Rida Shalghoom, Finance Minister, The Republic of Tunisia
- H.E. Mohamed Benchaaboun, Finance Minister, Kingdom of Morocco
- H.E. Alain Bifani, Secretary General, Ministry of Finance, Lebanon
General Discussion
|
| 12:00– 13:30 |
Lunch
|
13:30– 15:15
|
Session 3. Debt Management: Experiences and Lessons Learned
The level of public debt is rising in many Arab countries. Thus, appropriate debt management is increasingly important in the region. In recent years, many Arab countries have made progress in strengthening debt management capacity, including by creating debt management offices and enhancing their capacity. This session will take stock of the progress so far and discuss the way forward.
- Chair: H.E. Darwish Bin Ismail Al Balushi, Minister of Financial Affairs, Sultanate of Oman
-
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Lars Jessen, Lead Debt Specialist, Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management Global Practice, World Bank Group
-
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Nouran Youssef, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, Economic & Technical Department, AMF
Lessons from Arab Regions:
- H.E. Dr. Mohamed Maait, Finance Minister, Arab Republic of Egypt
- H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy, Kingdom of Bahrain
- H.E. Dr Riyad Abdulrahman Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Finance of Abu Dhabi, UAE
General Discussion
|
| 15:15– 15:30 |
Coffee Break
|
15:30– 17:15
|
Session 4. Coordination Between Fiscal and Monetary Policies
Effective coordination between fiscal and monetary policies is necessary for good macroeconomic management. What does proper coordination entail and how best to achieve it? The session will explore the scope for enhanced coordination between fiscal and monetary policies in Arab countries.
- Chair: Mutaz Mousa Abdulla Salem, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Republic of the Sudan
-
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Vitor Gaspar, Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
-
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Juan Carlos Echeverry Garzón, Former Minister of Finance, Colombia
Lessons from Arab Regions:
- H.E. Mubarak Rashid Al Mansouri, Governor, Central Bank of UAE
- Abderrahmane Raouia, Minister of Finance, Democratic Republic of Algeria
- Dr. El Moctar Ould Djay, Minister of Economy & Finance, The Islamic Republic of Mauritania
General Discussion
|
17:15– 17:45
|
Closing Session. Ministerial Round Table
|
