2009年-IMF国际货币组织全球_Progress_Report_on_the_Activities_of_the_Independent_Evaluation_Office_2页_355kb

IEO Progress Report Summary (October 2, 2009)

Core Content

The Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a progress report on October 2, 2009, detailing its activities since the last report in April 2009. The report highlights the completion of evaluations, the release of issues papers, and the publication of the 2009 Annual Report. It also outlines the ongoing search for a new IEO Director and the availability of all IEO documentation on its official website.

Main Evaluations and Findings

1. IMF Involvement in International Trade Policy Issues (1996–2007)

• Scope: Evaluated the IMF's role in international trade policy from 1996 to 2007, the period following the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• Findings:
  • After the 2000 streamlining initiative, the IMF reduced its involvement in traditional trade policy issues such as tariff and nontariff barriers.
  • This reduction was seen as positive, given the challenges of conditionality and tensions with WTO negotiations.
  • The IEO identified three key areas where the IMF should increase its engagement:
    1. Trade liberalization in financial services – especially in light of the global financial crisis.
    2. Systemic implications of preferential trade agreements.
    3. Global effects of trade policies in systemically important countries, such as high agricultural tariffs and subsidies.
  • Recommendations: Establish a small repository of in-house trade expertise and periodically analyze regional and global trade developments in the World and Regional Economic Outlook.

2. IMF's Role in the Run-Up to the Current Financial and Economic Crisis

• Draft Issues Paper (July 2009):
  • The evaluation is structured around three pillars:
    1. Bilateral surveillance in advanced economies with a focus on financial sector issues.
    2. Bilateral surveillance in emerging markets and other countries that used IMF-supported programs during the crisis.
    3. Multilateral surveillance.
  • It will assess the IMF's technical work, including risk diagnosis and advice on mitigating financial sector risks.
  • Governance issues will also be examined, such as evenhandedness and the Fund's ability to communicate difficult messages to large members.
  • The goal is to enhance the IMF's effectiveness in preventing systemic crises and providing timely warnings.

3. Research Evaluation at the IMF

• Draft Issues Paper (July 2009):
  • The evaluation covers the decade since 1999 and includes a broad definition of research.
  • It will focus on:
    1. Relevance and utilization of IMF research.
    2. Technical quality of research outputs.
    3. Management of research activities.
  • It will also review the implementation of recommendations from the Mishkin report, an earlier assessment of IMF research conducted in 1999.

4. 2009 Annual Report

• Key Messages:
  • The need to better manage institutional change.
  • Clarify the goals of Fund initiatives and align external communication policy.
  • Strengthen partnerships with other international financial institutions and donors.
  • Develop clearer metrics for assessing the impact of IMF policy advice.
  • Enhance accountability within the Fund.
• Context: The global financial crisis has underscored the importance of these messages, particularly the need for the IEO to be more critical of management and staff actions regarding member countries.

Executive Board Engagement

• The Executive Board discussed the trade policy evaluation report on June 8, 2009.
• Directors acknowledged the importance of the IMF's role in broad trade policy issues and their implications for external stability.
• They emphasized resource constraints and suggested that engagement would be best achieved through cooperation with the WTO.
• The Board welcomed the evaluation's impetus for future discussions and looked forward to the implementation plan from IMF management.

Ongoing Evaluations

• The IEO evaluation of IMF Interactions with Member Countries (2001–2008) is expected to be completed and submitted to the Executive Board shortly.
• This evaluation will examine the effectiveness and management of IMF-member interactions, including staff-country authority engagement, as well as interactions with civil society.

Personnel and Program Development

• The Executive Board is seeking a new IEO Director to replace Thomas Bernes, who retired in July 2009.
• Decisions on the multi-year IEO work program have been postponed until the new Director is appointed.

Documentation Availability

• All completed evaluations, issues papers, annual reports, and related documents are available on the IEO website: www.ieo-imf.org.