Section Notes

What We Do: The "Big Three"

The IMF has three main roles

Economic Surveillance

131 Country Health Checks

What we do

The IMF oversees the international monetary system and monitors the economic and financial policies of its 188 member countries. As part of this surveillance process, which takes place both at the global level and in individual countries, the IMF highlights possible risks to stability and advises on needed policy adjustments.

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Lending

$112 billion to 9 countries, plus $2.7 billion in low- or zero-interest loans to 17 of its low-income developing member countries

What we do

The IMF provides loans to member countries experiencing actual or potential balance-of-payments problems to help them rebuild their international reserves, stabilize their currencies, continue paying for imports, and restore conditions for strong economic growth, while correcting underlying problems.

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Capacity Development

$242 million for expert advice and training

What we do

The IMF helps its member countries design economic policies and manage their financial affairs more effectively by strengthening their human and institutional capacity through expert advice and training, which it calls capacity development.

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IMF Capacity Development Maps

IMF capacity development activities

IMF capacity development activities to meet demand from member countries across the globe. The maps in the diagram show the amount of technical assistance and training provided in FY2015, measured in the equivalent of a year’s worth of full-time work by one expert and a week’s worth of full-time coursework for one student, respectively.