Policy Papers
2021
October 29, 2021
FY2021—Output Cost Estimates and Budget Outturn
Description: The paper presents highlights from the FY 2021 budget, followed by a discussion of outputs based on the Fund Thematic Categories and of inputs.
October 28, 2021
Annual Update on SDR Trading Operations
Description: This paper provides an update on the status of the SDR trading market and operations. In over three decades, SDRs have been exchanged for freely usable currencies in transactions by agreement primarily through the Voluntary Trading Arrangements (VTAs). The VTAs are bilateral arrangements between the Fund and SDR participants or prescribed holders, in which the VTA members agree to buy and sell SDRs within certain limits. A fraction of transactions by agreement—sales or acquisitions of SDRs—were arranged directly between parties.
October 14, 2021
Progress Report to The IMFC on The Activities of The Independent Evaluation Office of The IMF
Description: Since the 2021 Spring Meetings, the IEO has concluded its evaluation on Growth and Adjustment in IMF-Supported Programs and has made significant headway in three other evaluations. Good progress has also been made in following up on past IEO evaluations. However, it was disappointing that the recent implementation plan aimed at strengthening IMF collaboration with the World Bank on climate and other macro-structural issues did not include a commitment to one key Board-endorsed recommendation, specifically to develop a concrete framework for Bank-Fund collaboration on climate issues.
October 13, 2021
The Managing Director's Global Policy Agenda Annual Meetings 2021: Vaccinate, Calibrate, Accelerate
Description: Urgent policy action is needed to control the pandemic, limit scarring, and transform the global economy. The global recovery continues, thanks to unprecedented monetary, fiscal, and financial support over the past year. However, pandemic-induced divergences are persisting, driven by stark differences in access to vaccines and policy space. The Fund will continue to support the membership deal with these ongoing and new challenges. Our priorities are to: vaccinate the world population to stem the spread of pandemic; calibrate policies to limit scarring, support the recovery, and counter growing divergences within and between countries; and accelerate the transformation of the global economy to achieve a more inclusive, greener, and digital recovery.
October 12, 2021
Implementation Plan in Response To The Board-Endorsed Recommendations From The IEO Evaluation Report On IMF Collaboration With The World Bank On Macro-Structural Issues
Description: This Management Implementation Plan (MIP) focuses on further strengthening collaboration between the IMF and the World Bank on strategic macro-structural issues. In macro-structural areas, the Fund and the Bank have complementary roles. The Bank provides structural and development-focused assessments and recommendations, while the Fund focuses on integrating macro relevant structural issues in the macroeconomic frameworks and policies. In some areas, including financial sector and public debt sustainability assessments, Bank-Fund collaboration modalities are well established. In other areas, such as climate change, Fund staff is developing comprehensive strategies on how the IMF can step up its engagement and collaboration with external partners, including with the World Bank, to better serve its membership. This MIP proposes concrete steps aimed at further enhancing: • Bank-Fund collaboration on strategic macro-structural issues, with an initial focus on the climate workstream; • Fund staff’s incentives for collaboration with external partners, including the Bank • Access to and exchange of information and knowledge between Bank and Fund staff.
October 8, 2021
Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust—Fourth Tranche of Debt Service Relief in The Context of The Covid-19 Pandemic and Approval of Additional Beneficiary Member Countries
Description: The paper provides brief updates for each CCRT-eligible country on its policy responses to the pandemic and on staff’s assessments of these policies, the use of resources freed up by debt service relief, and the implementation of governance safeguards commitments. The paper also provides an update on the financial situation of the CCRT. The generous support from 17 donor countries and the EU has mobilized SDR 609 million in new pledges since the onset of the pandemic.
September 16, 2021
Joint IMF-WBG Staff Note: DSSI Fiscal Monitoring Update
Description: The COVID-19 pandemic put significant pressures on fiscal accounts during 2020 through a contraction of revenues and increased spending needs to tackle the pandemic and its economic fallout. In response to these pressures, the countries benefitting from the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) have faced difficult choices to reprioritize spending, especially capital spending, even as they allowed higher overall fiscal deficits. This note summarizes the findings from the update of the fiscal monitoring system for the COVID-19 Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI). The DSSI was endorsed by the G20 Finance Ministers on April 15, 2020 and extended twice in October 2020 (until end-June 2021) and April 2021 (until end-2021). During May–December 2020 (the first phase), 43 countries participated, and 42 countries have formally requested their participation in the initiative during January–June 2021 (the second phase, as of July 30, 2021).
September 9, 2021
Statement by the Managing Director on the Independent Evaluation Office Report on Growth and Adjustment in IMF-Supported Programs
Description: Statement by the Managing Director on the Independent Evaluation Office Report on Growth and Adjustment in IMF-Supported Programs
August 23, 2021
Guidance Note for Fund Staff on the Treatment and Use of SDR Allocations
Description: This Note provides guidance for staff on the treatment and use of allocations of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). It presents a consistent framework for IMF country teams to assess the macroeconomic implications of the SDR allocation at the country level, covering the following areas: • Statistical and accounting treatment. • General macroeconomic implications and advice. • Debt sustainability analysis. • Transparency and accountability. • Reserve management. • Implications for Fund-supported programs.
August 10, 2021
Implementation Plan in Response to The Board: Endorsed Recommendations from the IEO Evaluation on IMF Advice on Capital Flows
Description: The actions in this document aim at • Bringing the Fund’s framework for advice on capital flow policies up to date with recent research and lessons from experience. • Enhancing and coordinating a Fund-wide research • Ramping up the monitoring and analysis of capital flows. • Strengthening multilateral cooperation on policy issues affecting capital flows.