September 12, 2008

Dear Ms. Griesgraber:

I would like to commend you and your colleagues from the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and Oxford University’s Global Economic Governance Program for the report “Bringing Balance to the IMF Reform Debate.” I welcome your report as an important contribution to the global debate on IMF reforms. I am pleased to hear that you will present the findings in Washington D.C. next week as well as meet with IMF Executive Directors in an informal session.

As you know, reform of the IMF has been at the top of the institution’s agenda for some time, and I have put in place a four-pillar approach to governance reform intended to build a broad consensus over this ongoing process. The first pillar was the work already undertaken by the IMF Independent Evaluation Office, which released a report on “Governance of the IMF” on May 28. The second pillar is a working group of the IMF Executive Directors, which has been and will continue to be instrumental to the reform discussion conducted by the IMF’s 185 member governments. The third pillar is the committee of eminent persons. The fourth pillar will involve direct interaction with civil society organizations.

Please share my congratulations with your co-authors and all the participants in the various workshops that provided input into the report, which makes valuable recommendations on all aspects of IMF reforms. I can assure you that my colleagues and I will give them serious consideration. In New Rules and your partners on this report, the Fund is privileged to have a serious group of interlocutors to reflect and debate on important challenges faced by the institutions.

Very truly yours,

Dominique Strauss-Kahn

[View a PDF of this letter]