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Mr. James M. Boughton
All financial institutions specialize, in dimensions that may include categories of assets and liabilities, types of services offered, customer demographics, and geographic coverage. The International Monetary Fund is the only international financial institution that is universal in its geographic scope, prepared to lend on request to virtually any country in the world. Why has this status come about? What are its costs and benefits? Is it an appropriate model for a world where macroeconomic imbalances, financial crises, and disparities in economic development must compete for attention and resources?
International Monetary Fund

Abstract

The year 2005 marks an important juncture for development as the international community takes stock of implementation of the Millennium Declaration—signed by 189 countries in 2000—and discusses how progress toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) can be accelerated. The MDGs set clear targets for reducing poverty and other human deprivations and for promoting sustainable development. What progress has been made toward these goals, and what should be done to accelerate it? What are the responsibilities of developing countries, developed countries, and international financial institutions? Global Monitoring Report 2005 addresses these questions. This report, the second in an annual series assessing progress on the MDGs and related development outcomes, has a special focus on Sub-Saharan Africa—the region that is farthest from the development goals and faces the toughest challenges in accelerating progress. The report finds that without rapid action to accelerate progress, the MDGs will be seriously jeopardized—especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is falling short on all the goals. It calls on the international community to seize the opportunities presented by the increased global attention to development to build momentum for the MDGs. The report presents in-depth analysis of the agenda and priorities for action. It discusses improvements in policies and governance that developing countries need to make to achieve stronger economic growth and scale up human development and relevant key services. It examines actions that developed countries need to take to provide more and better development aid and to reform their trade policies to improve market access for developing country exports. And it evaluates how international financial institutions can strengthen and sharpen their support for this agenda. Global Monitoring Report 2005 is essential reading for development practitioners and those interested in international affairs.

International Monetary Fund
This paper assesses Uganda’s Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). The program for 2002/03–2004/05, which could be supported by a new PRGF arrangement, aims to increase real GDP growth to about 6½ percent a year on average, while holding annual inflation at about 3½ percent. Monetary and exchange rate policies will focus on maintaining stability in light of sizable sterilization operations. The authorities will rely on market-based monetary instruments and will adhere to a flexible exchange rate policy.
Mr. James M. Boughton
and
Mr. Alex Mourmouras
IMF lending is generally conditional on specified policies and outcomes. These conditions usually are negotiated compromises between policies initially favored by the Fund and by the country's authorities. In some cases the authorities might be satisfied enough with the outcome to take responsibility for it ("own" it) even though it was not their original preference. In other cases, they might accept the outcome only to obtain financing, in which case weak commitment might lead to poor implementation. This paper reviews the theoretical basis for the importance of ownership, summarizes what is known about its empirical effects, and suggests a strategy for strengthening it.
International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
This paper describes the need to broaden the agenda for poverty reduction. The broadening of the agenda follows from a growing understanding that poverty is more than low income, a lack of education, and poor health. The poor are frequently powerless to influence the social and economic factors that determine their well being. The paper highlights that a broader definition of poverty requires a broader set of actions to fight it and increases the challenge of measuring poverty and comparing achievement across countries and over time.
International Monetary Fund
This Background Paper examines issues in Uganda’s financial sector reform. In Uganda, reforms in the financial sector have included the liberalization of interest rates, the development of instruments of indirect monetary control, the modernization of banking legislation, the restructuring of the central bank, and reforms in the commercial banking system. These reforms are aimed at improving monetary management, which would enhance the prospects for achieving stabilization. Ultimately, financial sector reforms will contribute to long-term sustainable growth by mobilizing domestic savings and channeling these resources to the most profitable investment projects.
Vicente Galbis
This paper examines financial sector reforms in eight developing countries--Argentina, Bulgaria, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda--and derives general lessons from their experience. The paper reviews the initial situation of these countries; describes the financial sector (and related) reforms carried out, including sequencing issues, and points out the unresolved questions; and examines the effects of reforms on monetary control and financial development, investment and growth and the efficiency of financial intermediation. The main recommendations are the need to persevere with macroeconomic stabilization through indirect monetary policy instruments, and the need to substantially strengthen prudential regulation and supervision and restructure and privatize or liquidate ailing financial institutions.