The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world." Formed in 1944, started on December 27, 1945, at the Bretton Woods Conference, primarily by the ideas of Harry Dexter White and John Maynard Keynes, it came into formal existence in 1945 with 29 member countries and the goal of reconstructing the international monetary system. It now plays a central role in the management of balance of payments difficulties and international financial crises. Countries contribute funds to a pool through a quota system, from which countries experiencing balance of payments problems can borrow money. As of 2016, the fund had SDR 477 billion. The IMF is regarded as the global lender of last resort.
The Latin American debt crisis was a financial crisis that originated in the early 1980s, often known as La Década Perdida, when Latin American countries reached a point where their foreign debt exceeded their earning power, and they could not repay it.
The European debt crisis, often also referred to as the eurozone crisis or the European sovereign debt crisis, was a multi-year debt crisis that took place in the European Union (EU) from 2009 until the mid to late 2010s. Several eurozone member states were unable to repay or refinance their government debt or to bail out over-indebted banks under their national supervision without the assistance of third parties like other eurozone countries, the European Central Bank (ECB), or the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Greece faced a sovereign debt crisis in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2007–2008. Widely known in the country as The Crisis, it reached the populace as a series of sudden reforms and austerity measures that led to impoverishment and loss of income and property, as well as a small-scale humanitarian crisis. In all, the Greek economy suffered the longest recession of any advanced mixed economy to date. As a result, the Greek political system has been upended, social exclusion increased, and hundreds of thousands of well-educated Greeks have left the country.
The national debtof the People's Republic of China is the total amount of money owed by the central government, local governments, government branches and state organizations of China. As of 2020, China's total government debt stands at approximately ¥ RMB 146 trillion, equivalent to about 45% of GDP. Standard & Poor's Global Ratings has stated Chinese local governments may have an additional ¥ RMB 40 trillion in off-balance sheet debt. Furthermore, debt owed by state-owned industrial firms is another 74% of GDP according to the International Monetary Fund. The three government-owned banks owe a further 29% of GDP. The high debt level is a current economic issue facing China.
El Salvador has been a member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since 1946. Their quota currently consists of 287.20 million SDR. The country has received loans from the IMF in the past, but most recently has received only standby loans and currently has no outstanding payments. As of June 2017, the standby arrangements total 1,442,300 SDR while the government has only drawn upon 132,250 SDR.
Ireland has been a member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since 1957, and has contributed to and drawn funds from the fund on occasion, most notably in 2010, when it received an international loan package of 22.5 billion euros to fund programmes to restore the banking system to health, and reduce budget deficits.
Iceland joined the International Monetary Fund on Dec 27th 1945, becoming one of the IMF's founding members. As a part of the IMF, Iceland has rights in accordance with its contributions, borrowing rights which help facilitate the stability of global financial markets. Iceland's quota is 321.8 million SDR, and its Special Drawing Rights are 112 million. This is a relatively small quota and its vote share comprises only 0.09% of all IMF vote shares, or 4,683 votes to be exact.
Relations between the International Monetary Fund and Djibouti began in 1978, at the time of Djibouti's membership. Since that time, Djibouti has taken out three different kinds of loans or credit lines from the IMF. A Stand-By-Credit, an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility, and Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility plan.
Poland was one of the founding members of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1945. Under pressure from the Soviet Union, the country withdrew in 1950, believing that the organization had become a tool for the United States. Poland rejoined the IMF in 1986, following the end of martial law in Poland (1981–1983) and the withdrawal of the US veto against Polish membership.
A repayment plan is a structured repaying of funds that have been loaned to an individual, business or government over either a standard or extended period of time, typically alongside a payment of interest. Repayment plans are prominent within the financial industry of a national economy where liquid funds are in high demand to assist in investment opportunities, governmental expenditure or personal finance. The term first saw prominence with its use by the International Monetary Fund to describe its form of financial loan repayment from individual nations. Typically, the term "repayment plan" refers to the system of Federal Student Aid in the United States of America, which assists in covering tertiary education expenses of domestic students.
Greece is one of the original members of the International Monetary Fund, joining it on December 27, 1945. It has a quota of 2,428.90 million SDRs and 25,754 votes, 0.51% of the total IMF quota and votes. Greece has been represented on the IMF Board of Governors by Minister of Finance Christos Staikouras since 2019. Greece elects an Executive Director on the fund's Executive Board with Albania, Italy, Malta, Portugal and San Marino. Michail Psalidopoulos is the elected alternate director. Greece has signed two loan agreements with the IMF: a Stand-By Arrangement from 2010 to 2012 and an agreement under the Extended Fund Facility from 2012 to 2016, borrowing a total of 27,766.3 million SDR. Greece owes the IMF 6,735.64 million SDR, and is the fund's third-largest borrower. In 2018, the fund began conducting annual post-program monitoring of Greece in addition to its annual Article IV consultation.
Argentina joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on September 20, 1956 and has since participated in 21 IMF Arrangements. The first Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) began on December 2, 1958, and the most recent Stand-By Arrangement began on June 20, 2018, and will expire on June 19, 2021. The most recent arrangement approved Argentina to borrow SDR 40,714.00 million, of which Argentina has borrowed SDR 31,913.71 million as of December 10, 2019. Over the past 63 years, Argentina has frequently used the resources of the IMF and holds the record for the largest loan distributed, reaching nearly $57 billion in 2018. However, in 2006 under the leadership of Néstor Kirchner, Argentina was able to pay off its debts, thus escaping Article IV IMF surveillance. In 2016 under the leadership of Mauricio Macri relations between the IMF and Argentina were reestablished due to the continuous decline of the country's GDP, leading to the 2018 arrangement.
Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from the state formerly known as Yugoslavia in 1992 and joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on December 14, 1992. Bosnia and Herzegovina officially succeeded to the IMF membership of the former Yugoslavia on December 20, 1995, thereby giving the country access to the quota, as well as outstanding loans and payments, on behalf of Yugoslavia. Bosnia and Herzogovina, often synecdochically referred to as Bosnia, currently has an IMF quota of 265.20 million SDR. Bosnia is part of the constituency that contains primarily Eastern European countries but is led by the Netherlands and Belgium. Bosnia controls 4,117 votes of the constituencies 273,058 total votes, and the constituency overall accounts for 5.43% of the IMF's total votes. Since Bosnia joined the IMF in 1992, the country has utilized five borrowing arrangements, four of which were under the Stand-By Arrangements (SBA) and one of which was under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The first of the five arrangements was enacted in May 1998 and the most recent was enacted in September 2016. As of September 2019, Bosnia has 126.82 million SDR outstanding loans and/or purchases from the IMF.
Jamaica first joined The World Bank Group (WBG) on the 21st of February, 1963, when the island nation became a member of The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), which lends to middle and low income nations. This occurred the same month as Jamaica joining the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and one year after declaring political independence. Since joining The World Bank, Jamaica has received in excess of $3 billion US Dollars in loans and grants. Jamaican Minister of Finance, Donald Sangster, led the Jamaican delegations to World Bank and International monetary Fund meetings between 1963 and 1966, while also serving as Governor of the World Bank and IMF. Sangster would go on to serve briefly as the Prime Minister of Jamaica.
Bolivia joined the IMF on December 27, 1945. Since 1945, Bolivia has cooperated with the IMF to achieve social reforms and economic growth. These efforts have involved strategies to reduce poverty, increase social equity, improve the education system and healthcare system, and expand social services to rural populations and underserved urban communities. Since 1984, Bolivia has been an active client of the fund, accessing 19 credit lines with the fund since joining.
The island nation of Grenada is the smallest country in the Western Hemisphere. A sovereign state that is located in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea towards the southern end of the Grenadine island chain, the nation is composed of the island Grenada along with six smaller islands that lie north of it. Grenada is known as the "Isle of Spice" for its production of nutmeg and mace crops, for which it is one of the world's largest exporters and contributes vastly to the country's GDP. Grenada is a developing country that relies heavily on the support of other nations and organizations to finance many of its government projects. One of Grenada's partners is the International Monetary Fund.
Myanmar, officially joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as of January 3, 1952; shortly before the end of term for the Union of Myanmar's first President, Sao Shwe Thaik, and the induction of Ba U. Since the induction of Myanmar as a member of the institution, they have made six arrangements with the IMF with its most recent arrangement made in 1981. As of 2019, they are currently led by Kyaw Kyaw Maung and Alternate U Soe Thein; their Special Drawing Rights (SDR) is at 0.79 million and quota consists of $516.8 million SDR which is 0.11% of the total IMF funds available. As of 2019, the country is under one of the twenty-four Executive Boards that facilitates the day-to-day operations of the IMF, led by Alisara Mahasandana and Alternate Keng Heng Tan; their co-board members consist of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Republic of Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and Vietnam. The Executive Board accumulates around 218,545 total votes which account for 4.34% of the Fund's total, Myanmar allocates 6,633 of the votes.
Iran and the International Monetary Fund have been in partnership since 1945. Iran has gone to the IMF on only two occasions, both before the 1979 revolution of Iran.
