Policy Papers
2022
November 11, 2022
Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust―2022: Borrowing Agreements With The Government of Canada As Represented By The Minister Of Finance, The Bank Of Italy, The Government Of Japan, And The Bank Of Spain
Description: This paper presents the first set of borrowing agreements that have been finalized as part of the loan mobilization round launched in July 2021 to cover the cost of pandemic-related lending and support the self-sustainability of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT). All agreements presented use SDRs in the context of SDR channeling and together provide a total of SDR 2.85 billion in new PRGT loan resources for low-income countries (LICs).
November 8, 2022
Gender Diversity In The Executive Board—Report Of The Executive Board To The Board Of Governors
Description: While there are ample reasons for discussing gender diversity in good times, there is an even greater need in bad times. At the time of this report, the economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the negative spillovers and higher inflation following Russia’s war in Ukraine, have exacerbated pre-existing gender gaps, disproportionately affecting women’s jobs, incomes, and security. The stall in progress towards gender parity has resulted in a call for further action to reduce gender inequality, as seen in the Strategy for Mainstreaming Gender at the Fund. The integration of gender in the Fund’s core activities, when macro-critical, recognizes the fact that reducing gender disparities results in higher economic growth, greater economic stability and resilience, and lower income inequality.
November 7, 2022
Guidance For The Investment Of Temporary Resources To Generate Income To Contribute To PRG, PRG-HIPC, And CCR Trusts Assets
Description: In July 2017, the Executive Board adopted a decision (hereinafter the ”Decision”) regarding the investment of resources provided to the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (“PRG Trust”) and other trusts on a temporary basis with the purpose of generating income for the operations of these trusts (“temporary resources”). This paper proposes that the Decision be amended to clarify that those temporary resources invested under the third option for PRG Trust contributors will be centralized in the Deposit and Investment Account (DIA).
October 21, 2022
Staff-Monitored Programs—Updated Operational Guidance Note
Description: The note updates and replaces the prior guidance on SMPs, provided in 2003, incorporating changes to the Fund’s lending strategy, and clarifies some operational issues to better guide staff on the use and design of SMPs, while safeguarding even-handed application. Noteworthy changes include clarity on the role of SMPs, specifying the start and end dates of SMPs, clarifying the expected length of SMPs and track record periods, and extensions of SMPs. While many policies are clarified, the principle of flexibility is maintained.
October 14, 2022
Development Committee: The Managing Director's Written Statement October 2022
Description: Several simultaneous shocks are weighing on the global economic outlook and complicate policymaking. Inflationary pressures are on the rise and increasingly broad based. Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to send shockwaves through the global economy, including by disrupting commodity markets and contributing to higher sovereign risk spreads. Lower growth in China as a result of lockdowns and a weaker housing market curtails global demand, while climate change is generating increasingly costly extreme weather events. The combination of lower growth and high prices squeezes household budgets, especially in low-income developing countries (LIDCs) where hard-to-replace spending items, such as food, account for a large share of consumption. Central banks face difficult policy trade-offs, as both over- and under-tightening the monetary stance would come with significant costs. Emerging and Developing Economies (EMDEs) need to cope with less favorable financial conditions and weaker currencies that raise the domestic currency value of foreign debt—a constellation that contains potential for wider debt distress. Policymakers should focus on gaining control over inflation, preserving financial stability, and using focused and well-targeted fiscal interventions to support those most in need. Global cooperation is more important than ever, but it is also under acute threat from geopolitical developments.
October 13, 2022
Progress Report To The IMFC On The Activities Of The Independent Evaluation Office Of The IMF: October 7, 2022
Description: Since the 2022 Spring Meetings, the IEO has completed two evaluations—on IMF engagement with small developing states and capacity development. We have also made significant progress on a third evaluation on the IMF’s emergency response to the COVID pandemic. In addition, a list of new evaluation topics has been drawn up for discussion with the Executive Board later this year.
October 13, 2022
The Managing Director's Global Policy Agenda, Annual Meetings 2022: Act Now, Act Together for a More Resilient World
Description: Reeling from multiple shocks, the global economic outlook looks increasingly difficult. Since last October, we have downgraded global growth and revised up inflation projections four times. Two years of pandemic, followed by the war in Ukraine, have taken a heavy toll on activity and global trade, exhausting both policy buffers and people’s patience. Now, a ‘cost-of-living crisis’ threatens livelihoods everywhere, with the most vulnerable hit the hardest, and acute food insecurity is an unbearable hardship in too many parts of the world. Multi-decade inflation highs, tightening financing conditions, rising food and energy insecurity, capital flow disruptions, and record high debt levels point to a particularly difficult and uncertain period ahead—especially in the context of slowing growth in the US, Europe, and China. The increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters—devastating floods, droughts, and wildfires—adds to these challenges. While the ongoing digital revolution brings new opportunities, the recent turmoil in crypto asset markets is a reminder of the risks of unfettered digitalization.
October 6, 2022
Annual Update on SDR Trading Operations
Description: This paper provides an update on the status of the SDR trading market and operations one year after the historic fourth general allocation of SDRs. In the reporting period, SDR trading has been dominated by SDR sales due to the 2021 SDR allocation. The VTAs continue to have ample capacities to meet the demand for exchange of SDRs into currencies. Staff has made significant progress in further strengthening the SDR trading market. Since the SDR allocation, eight new VTA members have been welcomed to the SDR trading market and many existing VTA members provided additional operational flexibilities. Discussions with a number of potential new entrants continue in the broader context of SDR channeling, which encourages contributors to have VTAs.
October 5, 2022
Proposal for a Staff-Monitored Program with Executive Board Involvement
Description: This paper proposes an amendment to the policy on Staff-Monitored Programs (SMPs) that would allow for limited Executive Board involvement in opining on the robustness of a member’s policies to meet their stated objectives under an SMP and monitoring its implementation. To differentiate from regular SMPs, such SMPs would be called “Program Monitoring with Board Involvement” or “PMBs”. Their use would be only available to those (requesting) members who, in addition to seeking to build or rebuild a track record for Upper Credit Tranche (UCT) Use of Fund Resources (UFR), would benefit from targeted Executive Board involvement because of either (i) an ongoing concerted international effort by creditors or donors to provide substantial new financing or debt relief to the member or (ii) significant outstanding Fund credit under emergency financing instruments at the time new emergency financing is received. Members meeting criterion (i) or (ii) above would be strongly encouraged to request such a PMB. The PMB would support members in designing, implementing, and monitoring policies under often complex circumstances.
October 5, 2022
Proposal for a Food Shock Window Under the Rapid Financing Instrument and Rapid Credit Facility
Description: Russia’s war in Ukraine has exacerbated global economic pressures, including through a food shock. The war and food-related spillovers—higher import prices for food and fertilizer and disruptions in supply lines for food importers, and a loss of revenue for some food exporters—add to urgent balance-of-payments (BOP) needs of many Fund members. They have also exacerbated acute food insecurity, now affecting 345 million people. While the best response to address BOP pressures would generally involve an Upper Credit Tranche-quality program, such a program may not be feasible in some cases or necessary in others. This paper proposes a time-bound food shock window under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) and the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) to provide support to members in such situations. The new window would be temporary and provide low-access emergency financing that increases the amounts currently available under the RFI/RCF. Members would need to demonstrate urgent BOP needs and meet a set of qualification criteria related to the global food shock. The window would be available for 12 months from the date of Board approval of the window. Countries requesting financing under the window would also need to meet the standard qualification criteria under the RFI/RCF.