IMF Support for COVID-19 Recovery

Months of innovative work by AfDB staff have resulted in an attractive SDR recycling scheme that overcomes a major hurdle by successfully embodying the reserve asset characteristic. And it will allow leveraging SDRs to multiply their lending power 3-4 times. Now politicians have to step up and commi...

At COP27 last November, the parties agreed to provide “loss and damage” funding for vulnerable countries hit hard by climate disasters. Governments also agreed to establish a “transitional committee” to make recommendations on how to operationalize both the new funding arrangements and the fund at C...

The past year was tumultuous for SDRs, but we’ve now managed to decipher the annual report and extract the must-knows to help you have a more enjoyable experience when you read it! The report covers the first year after the historic allocation of SDR 456 billion ($650 billion) in August 2021 and pro...

Earlier this year, the IMF board approved the establishment of the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) to provide financial support to countries addressing long-term structural challenges, including climate change and pandemic preparedness. 143 countries are eligible to receive support from th...

SDRs are only part of the answer to Africa's economic and financial challenges. But they can be mobilized quickly and responsively to meet acute needs on the continent. The cost to the United States is essentially zero. The potential benefits to African countries and US credibility are immense.

The Global North can make an immediate down payment on the promises made at COP27 to increase financing for emerging markets and developing countries. How can countries ensure that funding starts to flow now? By pushing the limits of the funding mechanisms already in place. 

More than a year after the IMF general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and the G20 promise to recycle $100 billion of SDRs, how much has been achieved? And how will the recycled SDRs be used?