Date: Thursday, July 30, 2009

Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Organized by: New Rules for Global Finance

RSVP: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Transcript of Video Conference

Dear Colleagues,

As part of a Civil Society Consultation, New Rules for Global Finance is facilitating video conference discussions on Governance Reform of the International Monetary Fund. A video conference will be held between Washington, DC, Montevideo, and Lima. Please RSVP to receive updates and final details.

This video conference will take place simultaneously connecting all for cities at the following times listed below.

• Washington, DC, USA: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Montevideo, Uruguay: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
• Lima, Peru: 9:00 am – 11:00 am

We would like to invite Civil Society Organizations in these cities to participate in the discussion which will take place in a World Bank/IMF Video Conference Facility. Meeting location will be sent to those who RSVP to participate. RSVP’s are required to gain entrance for the meeting. Please RSVP as soon as possible, but by noon on Wednesday July 29, 2009. Please indicate which city you will be participating from.

Here is a proposed agenda for “The Fourth Pillar” video conference, CSOs facilitating the event may modify the agenda to your fit your regional needs.

1. The introduction of each participant and a brief statement of each one’s experience with the IMF
2. The purposes of the IMF have been described as:

a. Helping countries meet short term balance of payments problems
b. Providing financial stability which the IMF sees as a pre-requisite for growth
c. Working on Global Financial Stability
d. What has been your country’s experience

3. Identify the constituencies represented by people in the room:

a. What has been the quality of the representation of your country at the IMF

b. How much do you know about what the IMF is doing generally and with regard to your country?

4. Governance Reform proposals: (see CSO paper submitted July 13)

a. Greater Transparency

b. Greater Accountability

i. Evaluation

ii. Transparency

iii. Participation

iv. Voice and Vote—changes in quotas, chairs, etc.

1. Do you have ideas of what should be included in a “new quota”?

2. Consultation with CSOs and Parliament in-country

v. External complaint mechanisms

1. Ombudsman

2. Ex Ante Poverty Impact Assessments

c. Besides the ideas in the paper, how what would you recommend to increase IMF accountability?

5. Some CSOs think that changing conditionality is more important than governance reforms:

a. Is such a change possible without changing governance?

b. Would changing governance still be important even if changes occurred in conditionality?

6. What works best about the IMF?

7. What needs to be changed most urgently?

Background Documents

• First CSO paper submitted on July 13   Available in English / Español-Spanish / Français-French.
• Process Document for the Consultation [English / Español-Spanish / Français-French]

Please contact Jamie Baker at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you have any questions.

Please forward the invitation to other CSOs who may be able to participate.

Transcript of Video Conference