Recent Developments in IMF Policies and Activities

Abstract

During the last 70 years, the Fund has changed its tasks and activities although there were but a few explicit modifications of its Articles of Agreement and the issue of a fair re-allocation of voting rights remained unsolved till now. Thus, the purpose of this overview focusing upon recent developments is to take a closer look at main International Monetary Fund (IMF) fields of activities like surveillance under Art. IV and various forms of financial as well as of technical assistance. Moreover, the role of the Fund as an organization taking actively part in development assistance is dealt with, as well as its relationship with the other ‘Bretton Woods’ institution, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization (WTO), since there are many interlinked topics needing intensive cooperation between Fund and the respective partner organization. Finally, the Fund has been engaged in strategies and operations how to cope with the deterioration of the financial situation of some Euro zone member States. And of course, there shall be new challenges ahead for the Fund, so a major reform of its legal framework may soon be needed.