Policy Papers
2010
January 22, 2010
The Fund's Mandate-The Legal Framework
Description: This paper is intended to accompany “The Fund’s Role and Mandate—An Overview” (the “Mandate Overview Paper”). Taking into account the issues raised in the Mandate Overview Paper and, in particular, the potential areas for reform that it identifies, this paper provides a brief analysis of both the constraints and flexibility that exist under the existing legal framework. At the outset, it is useful to identify several aspects of this framework that are of particular relevance.
January 11, 2010
Framework Administered Account for Selected Fund Activities-Norway Subaccount for Selected Fund Activities
Description: The Fund, represented by the Managing Director, has reached understandings with Norway acting through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ("Norway"), to finance capacity building, training and related activities. On the basis of these understandings, the Managing Director has established the essential terms and conditions of the Subaccount, with which Norway concurs, with respect to the nature, design, and implementation of the activities to be financed and the method by which the costs of the activities will be financed from the Subaccount.
January 8, 2010
Note Purchase Agreement with Brazil
Description: This Note Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement") is entered into between the Federative Republic of Brazil ("Brazil") and the International Monetary Fund (the "Fund"). Where specified in this Agreement, Banco Central do Brasil ("BCB") shall act as agent for Brazil in order to carry out the operations with the Fund herein described. In those cases, the Fund shall be entitled to consider any request, representation or notification from or to the BCB, or any consultation with the BCB, as constituting, respectively, a request, representation or notification from or to, or consultation with, Brazil.
January 5, 2010
Borrowing Agreement with the Central Bank of Malta
Description: In light of the multilateral effort to ensure the adequacy of the financial resources available to the International Monetary Fund, and with a view to supporting the Fund’s ability to provide timely and effective balance of payments assistance to its members, the Central Bank of Malta agrees to lend to the Fund an SDR denominated amount up to the equivalent of EUR120 million, on the terms and conditions set in this policy paper.
January 1, 2010
Eligibility to Use the Fund’s Facilities for Concessional Financing - Decisions
Description: This paper proposes a framework for updating the PRGT eligibility list, based on transparent criteria and a regular review process, including policies for phasing in changes in eligibility. The premise is that access to scarce resources for concessional Fund financing should be preserved for members with a low level of income and related economic and financial vulnerabilities. From this perspective, there are several potential anomalies in the current eligibility list, which has been established primarily on the basis of IDA eligibility, and was last reviewed in 2003.
2009
December 23, 2009
Seychelles - Assessment Letter for the International Community
Description: This letter provides an assessment of recent macroeconomic developments in Seychelles and an update on the discussions of Fund staff with the Seychelles authorities on macroeconomic policies and structural reforms that could form the basis for the authorities' request for a new arrangement supported by the International Monetary Fund.
December 22, 2009
Management Statement on the Temporary Suspension of Implementing the Policy for Country Contributions for Capacity Building
Description: This statement provides an update on the implementation of the strengthened country contributions policy for capacity building (the "Policy") and informs the Executive Board of management’s intention to suspend temporarily implementation of the Policy. As noted in the Statement of the General Counsel of July 23, 2008, management has the authority to establish and to implement changes to the Policy, in consultation with the Executive Board.
December 22, 2009
Staff Guidance Note on Debt Limits in Fund-Supported Programs
Description: In August 2009, the Executive Board approved new guidelines on external debt limits in Fund-supported programs. Debt limits seek to prevent the build-up of unsustainable debts, while allowing for adequate external financing. The new framework moves away from a single design for debt limits (or, to use the usual terminology, concessionality requirements) towards a more flexible approach.
December 16, 2009
Framework Administered Account for Selected Fund Activities-Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center (METAC) Subaccount
Description:
In March 2009, the Fund established a new Framework Administered Account to administer external financial resources for selected Fund activities (the "SFA Instrument"). The financing of activities under the terms of the SFA Instrument is implemented through the establishment and operation of a subaccount within the SFA. This paper requests Executive Board approval to establish the METAC subaccount under the terms of the SFA Instrument.
Management has engaged in discussions with member countries in the Middle East region as well as donors on regional needs in capacity building, training and related activities. Because METAC has a proven track record to provide focused, flexible, and responsive technical assistance (TA) in a cost-effective manner, both beneficiary countries of METAC and interested donors are supportive to continue the Fund’s involvement in this regard. The center’s activities will continue to focus on the following key areas representing common policy challenges to member countries, including those related to increased regional integration: (i) revenue administration; (ii) public financial management; (iii) banking supervision; and (iv) economic and financial statistics.
December 15, 2009
Safeguards Assessments—2009 Update
Description: This paper provides Executive Directors with an update of safeguards assessment activities from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. In common with previous updates, it covers the various types of safeguards activities undertaken during the year, highlighting the increased activity associated with the “twin crises” of food and fuel price shocks and the global financial crisis during 2008/09. It also briefly discusses developments in the latter part of that year, including the separate safeguards procedures introduced for members accessing the Flexible Credit Line (FCL).