Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Cost Recovery for the IMF

A recent independent review of IMF finances concludes;

"The Committee's report concludes that the IMF's current income model—which relies primarily on the income generated from lending to member countries—is not appropriate and it recommends a new set of revenue measures. Mr. Crockett said: "This package of measures, which is unanimously supported by the Committee, is designed to align better the Fund's income model with the variety of functions the Fund currently performs. If adopted, the measures would set the Fund's finances on a sustainable basis, and ensure a solid financial foundation for the Fund's important role in the international community."…

Charging for services to member countries. The Committee recognizes that capacity building represents a fundamental contribution of the Fund to the well-being of many of its member countries and that there may be public policy reasons for not discouraging the use of capacity-building services. However, the Committee supports charging for services in principle, not so much for the revenue that would be generated, but to enhance IMF transparency and accountability in the provision of such services and to ensure that the providers and beneficiaries take a disciplined approach to its costs and benefits. The Committee also proposes the resumption of reimbursing the IMF for the administrative costs of managing the program of financial assistance to low-income members, which could yield SDR 60 million (US$90 million) a year."

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