Abstract
The Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund were adopted at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference (Bretton Woods, New Hampshire) on July 22, 1944. They were originally accepted by 29 countries and since then have been signed and ratified by a total of 189 Member countries. As the charter of the organization, the Articles lay out the Fund’s purposes, which include the promotion of “international monetary cooperation through a permanent institution which provides the machinery for consultation and collaboration on international monetary problems”. The Articles also establish the mandate of the Organization and its members’ rights and obligations, its governance structure and roles of its organs, and lays out various rules of operations including those related to the conduct of its operations and transactions regarding the Special Drawing Rights. The key functions of the IMF are the surveillance of the international monetary system and the monitoring of members’ economic and financial policies, the provision of Fund resources to member countries in need, and the delivery of technical assistance and financial services. Since their adoption in 1944, the Articles of Agreement have been amended seven times, with the latest amendment adopted on December 15, 2010 (effective January 26, 2016). The Articles are complemented by the By-laws of the Fund adopted by the Board of Governors, themselves being supplemented by the Rules and Regulations adopted by the Executive Board.
Abstract
Proceedings of a conference co-hosted by the Bank of Albania and the International Monetary Fund in May 2017.
Abstract
This paper explains purposes and functions of various articles of the IMF. The original members of the IMF are those of the countries represented at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference whose governments accept membership before December 31, 1945. The articles describe that the Board of Governors at intervals of not more than five years are expected to conduct a general review, and if it deems it appropriate propose an adjustment, of the quotas of the members. Recognizing that the essential purpose of the international monetary system is to provide a framework that facilitates the exchange of goods, services, and capital among countries, and that sustains sound economic growth, and that a principal objective is the continuing development of the orderly underlying conditions that are necessary for financial and economic stability, each member undertakes to collaborate with the IMF and other members to assure orderly exchange arrangements and to promote a stable system of exchange rates.
This paper discusses Serbia and Montenegro’s Sixth Review Under the Extended Arrangement, Financing Assurances Review, Request for Waivers of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria, and Proposed Post-Program Monitoring. Program implementation since the fifth review has been mixed, delaying the conclusion of the sixth and final review. Growth in 2005 reflected strong net exports, with an increasing contribution of domestic demand after mid-year. The slow structural transformation of the economy remains a major constraint on potential growth and stabilization.
Economic performance in 2002 was generally favorable with good policy implementation, but considerable risks remain. Structural reforms have fallen behind program expectations, but the delays are being addressed. The discussions highlighted the need for prudent policies and strengthening of structural reforms. The structural reforms will focus on tax administration and expenditure management, banking supervision and resolution, and privatization. Monetary and exchange rate policies in Serbia should continue to balance the inflation and external objectives. Serbia and Montenegro's performance under the Extended Arrangement has remained good.
The IMF is a financial cooperative, in some ways like a credit union. On joining, each member country pays in a subscription, called its “quota.” A country’s quota is broadly determined by its economic position relative to other members and takes into account members’ GDP, current account transactions, and official reserves. Quotas (see box, below) define members’ financial and organizational relations in the IMF.
Abstract
I would like to thank the Bank of Albania, the IMF, and the Swiss Embassy for your kind invitation to speak at this forum. I was quite interested in the various discussions on the macroeconomic vulnerabilities of highly euroized economies in the context of negative euro area interest rates. These discussions provide a good background for my presentation on reserve management in the region.