Open conference on IMF conditionality

The Ministry of Finance will January 10, 2008 be hosting an open half-day conference on structural conditionality in IMF-supported programmes.

At the conference, Ruben Lamdany, Assistant Director of the Independent Evaluation Office of the IMF, will present a recently published report that evaluates the impact of the so-called streamlining initiative on the IMF’s conditionality. The initiative, adopted by in 2002, seeks to streamline conditionality by requiring conditions to be set parsimoniously and only to the extent they are critical to the success of a programme.

One key issue to be addressed is to what extent we need structural conditionality and how it should be developed and implemented at the country level. Furthermore, the conference will examine potential conflicts between national ownership, the leverage needed for economic reform, policy space, and the design of political strategies well suited to the particular circumstances of each country. Minister of Finance Kristin Halvorsen will open the conference, and other presenters include State Secretary Roger Schjerva, Senior Research Fellow Benedicte Bull, a representative from the IMF Staff and a NGO representative.

Programme and registration can be found here. The conference will be held in English.