This article is published in association with IMF. Serpil Bouza, Marcello Miccoli, Borislava Mircheva Almost two-thirds of countries in the Middle East and Central Asia are exploring adopting a central bank digital currency as a way to promote financial inclusion and improve the efficiency of cross-border payments. Adopting a CBDC, however, requires careful consideration. Countries across […]Central Bank Digital Currencies Can Boost Middle East’s Financial Inclusion, Payment Efficiency
June 19, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Serpil Bouza, Marcello Miccoli, Borislava Mircheva Almost two-thirds of countries in the Middle East and Central Asia are exploring adopting a central bank digital currency as a way to promote financial inclusion and improve the efficiency of cross-border payments. Adopting a CBDC, however, requires careful consideration. Countries across […]Fiscal Policy Can Help Broaden the Gains of AI to Humanity
June 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Era Dabla-Norris, Ruud de Mooij The AI transition will require stronger social safety nets, investment in education, and tax systems that support human workers and mitigate inequality New generative-AI technologies hold immense potential for boosting productivity and improving the delivery of public services, but the sheer speed and […]Should there be any Limits to Fiscal Transparency?
June 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Richard Allen Of course there should be, but they are usually ignored. Obvious examples are the potential liability of government in legal cases, or the maximum tolerable wage increase in negotiations with labor unions. There is also a question of potential information overload. The Open Data Charter for […]Bangladesh Can Boost Growth and Climate Resilience by Investing in Women
June 13, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. By Jayendu De and Genet Zinabou Sizable gaps in women’s economic empowerment undermine growth and exacerbate climate vulnerability Bangladesh has made major gains for its population, the world’s eighth largest with more than 170 million people. Per capita incomes, one of the best measures of broad economic well-being, […]Policy Challenges and Bringing Down Public Debt
June 11, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Opening Remarks by Deputy Managing Director Kenji Okamuraat the Fiscal Policy and Sovereign Debt Conference Good morning and welcome to our conference on “Fiscal Policy and Sovereign Debt.” I would like to begin by thanking our co-hosts: the Center for Advanced Research in Finance at the University […]Unleashing the Power of AI in Public Finance
June 11, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Aura Martinez As governments worldwide grapple with managing public funds transparently and efficiently, AI emerges as a powerful ally. It can revolutionize budget openness, assist in aligning fiscal activities with policy priorities, thereby facilitating greater accountability in public finances. AI: A Game-Changer in Public Finance? Understanding AI’s […]Dollar Dominance in the International Reserve System: An Update
June 11, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. The US dollar continues to cede ground to nontraditional currencies in global foreign exchange reserves, but it remains the preeminent reserve currency Serkan Arslanalp, Barry Eichengreen , Chima Simpson-Bell Dollar dominance—the outsized role of the US dollar in the world economy—has been brought into focus recently as […]IMF: World cup and productivity
July 5, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with IMFBlog on the occasion of Russia World Cup Written by IMFBlog The World Cup and productivity. Two of our favorite topics, together in one chart. How much your productivity—the amount you produce per hour of work—takes a hit during the World Cup depends on where you […]IMF: How To Deal With Failed Banks
July 4, 2018 by 1 Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the International Monetary Fund Written by Deniz Igan, July 3, 2018 During the global financial crisis, policymakers faced a steep trade-off in handling bank failures. Using public funds to rescue failing banks (bail-outs) could weaken market discipline and lead to excessive risk taking—the moral hazard effect. […]IMF: When high yield goes boom
June 27, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the International Monetary Fund Written by Divya Kirti We’ve all heard about good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Too much of the good stuff probably won’t do you any harm. Too much of the bad stuff can lead to a heart attack. The same idea applies to […]IMF’s Lagarde: Estimating Cyber Risk for the Financial Sector
June 23, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This story is brought to you in association with the International Monetary Fund Written by Christine Lagarde, IMF’s Managing Director Average annual losses to financial institutions from cyber-attacks could reach a few hundred billion dollars a year (photo: Eti Ammos/iStock by Getty Images) Cyber risk has emerged as a significant threat to the financial system. […]IMF’s Lagarde: Ukraine must fight corruption
June 21, 2018 by 1 Comment
This story is brought to you in association with the International Monetary Fund Statement by the IMF Managing Director on Ukraine, June 19, 2018 Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine, spoke yesterday about recent events. Following the call, Ms. Lagarde issued the following statement: “I […]IMF: All you want to know about Argentina
June 20, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the International Monetary Fund Written by IMF staff Frequently asked questions about Argentina, June 7, 2018 How much money will be disbursed to Argentina to support the new economic plan? Argentina and IMF staff have reached an agreement on an economic plan that can be supported by […]From Shadows to Sunlight, Paraguay’s Road to Transparency
June 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with IMF Blog Current Paraguayan Finance Minister Lea Giménez Duarte knows first-hand that transparency pays off. In this podcast, Duarte says the changes began after the government passed a transparency law in 2014. “We started to rethink about how we manage resources, and why it’s important for […]IMF: The near-term outlook for the U.S. economy is one of strong growth and job creation
June 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the International Monetary Fund. It has being released by IMF’s Communications Department IMF Staff Concluding Statement of the 2018 Article IV Mission for the United States of America A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most […]Our Digital Future
June 18, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with IMFBlog Written by Camilla Lund Andersen “Money makes the world go around,” Liza Minnelli famously sang in the movie Cabaret. Money has for centuries been central to human relationships. Loss of faith in its value can result in economic and political instability, even war. In the […]
