The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been described as the lender of last resort for countries in financial distress. But the stiff medicine doled out by the fund is still subject to huge controv
Almost all governments in the world joined the Paris agreement in 2015 in an effort to tackle climate change. In the same year, many of the same governments paid about US$400 billion in direct and ind
The deep COVID-19 crisis has resulted in the largest decline in global energy demand over the past 70 years. In the first quarter of 2020, it decreased by 3.8 percent relative to the first quarter of
Benedict Clements, Stefania Fabrizio, Ian Parry 27 April 2013 Energy-subsidy reform is notoriously difficult. This column argues that the environmental and social payoff from a concerted worldwide eff
Summary Investigating how lending programs of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) affect poverty and inequality, we explicitly address model uncertainty. We control for endogenous selection into IMF
Analysis shows IMF advice to countries accessing Covid-19 emergency funds fails to systematically address climate risks and implicitly endorses fossil fuel subsidies IMF managing director Kristalina G
Daniel J. Mitchell A couple of months ago, I thought I did something meaningful by sharing six separate examples of the International Monetary Fund pressuring sub-Saharan African nations to impose hig
Debt is an efficient tool. It ensures access to other peoples’ raw materials and infrastructure on the cheapest possible terms. Dozens of countries must compete for shrinking export markets and can ex
Over 80 per cent of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Covid-19 loans recommend poor countries hit hard by the economic fallout from the pandemic adopt tough new austerity measures in the afterma
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings over the past week saw continued focus on the climate crisis. The fund has previously discussed financial sector-focused solutions, putting out pa
This crisis is a rupture. A moment of profound turmoil and disruption. Even more than the 2008–09 global financial crisis—which was most directly felt in the United States and in European countries—th
The IMF will have a critical role to play in the recovery from the economic and health crises brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its immediate role is to give countries the financial support they
COVID-19 has resulted in a spike in unemployment across the world. Image: REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson IMF research shows that the inequality gap between rich and poor has widened after previous epidemics -
The world's lender of last resort updates its forecasts for the UK economy as it warns the pandemic will exacerbate world poverty. Image:The IMF says women in developing economies will be among those
Oscar Williams-Grut A daily wage laborer worker at a construction site in Uttar Pradesh, north India. The IMF said day labourers will be particularly vulnerable to falling into extreme poverty. Photo:
Abstract Using an LIC-specific participation model, we adopt a propensity score matching (PSM) methodology to compare economic growth performance in countries with and without IMF programmes over the
Graham Bird,Faryal Qayum ABSTRACT This paper examines the effect of IMF programs on poverty, income inequality and government expenditure on education and health. It distinguishes between non-concessi
Gordon Gray, Thomas Wade Executive Summary The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was created in the wake of the Great Depression to promote stability in global financial markets. Nearly all countries
Which of the following do you think is the most important need in developing countries? Free health services for all to reduce child and maternal mortality Universal and decent quality education to pr
Energy subsidies are often a major drain on the resources of developing countries. Energy subsidies are inefficient, and lead to overconsumption of fossil fuels—reducing the incentive to use cleaner e
