IMFSurvey Magazine: Podcasts & Videos
Villagers tote corn meal in Dzimbiri, Malawi, a country where the price of fertilizers has almost tripled (photo: Frank May/DPA).
Africa Confronts Twin Crises
November 4, 2008
Sub-Saharan Africa may begin to feel the effects of global financial turmoil even though it is less integrated with global financial markets than other regions. This second crisis arises just as the continent copes with the impact of a food and fuel price surge.
Georgia Rebuilds
October 21, 2008
In an interview, Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze of Georgia talks about the impact of the recent armed conflict and what it will take for his country to rebuild.
IMFC Gets First Emerging Market Head
October 11, 2008
Interview with the new head of the International Monetary and Financial Committee
Youssef Boutros-Ghali.
U.S. Has Weathered Several Crises
October 10, 2008
The financial crisis in historical perspective: an interview by Maureen Burke with James Boughton, the IMF’s historian.
The Housing Crisis: How Serious?
October 8, 2008
IMF Economist Prakash Loungani talks with Natalie Ramirez-Djumena about the housing crisis in several advanced economies.
Making Further Progress in Africa
September 23, 2008
Antoinette Sayeh, the Director of the IMF’s African Department, speaks to Glenn Gottselig about prospects for the continent and coming priorities.
IMF Enhances its Technical Assistance
August 1, 2008
IMF experts talk about the Fund’s technical assistance work and how it is being better integrated with the IMF’s economic monitoring and lending, as well as with country reform agendas.
IMF Helps Relieve Global Food Crisis
May 12, 2008
In a video interview, Mark Plant, a senior IMF official, talks about the work going on in the Fund to help relieve the impact of the global food crisis, particularly on the world’s poorest, and discusses the IMF’s policy suggestions.
Tackling the Economics of Climate Change
April 17, 2008
Maureen Burke interviews Natalia Tamirisa and Michael Keen about the economics of climate change and what the IMF is doing in terms of fiscal analysis and recommendations.
IMF Helps Track Iraq Oil Money
March 12, 2008
Elisa Diehl talks with two senior IMF officials, Bert Keuppens and Chris Hemus, who are part of the International Advisory and Monitoring Board that monitors how Iraqi oil money is used, about what has been achieved so far.
Asia Plays Starring Role in World Trade
February 6, 2008
Asian exports now represent 30 percent of world trade, with emerging markets taking the lead. Internal and external trade patterns are changing, intraregional competition is increasing, and export products are becoming more technologically sophisticated. The boom is benefiting consumers worldwide and increasing Asia's prosperity.
Macroeconomic Effects Of Climate Change
November 9, 2007
Studies of the economic and other costs associated with climate change show a wide range of results. In the worst-case scenario, the global economy could experience output losses of about 10 percent for average global warming of 6 degrees C.
Technology Spurs Rising Inequality
October 11, 2007
How has the recent surge of globalization affected people's incomes around the world? It turns out that inequality has worsened in many countries. The culprit is not increased trade or financial globalization but the spread of new technology.
Strengthen Europe's Financial Oversight
September 25, 2007
Length: 08:03 minutes
Europe needs stronger arrangements to oversee risks emerging from an explosion in cross-border transactions, Michael Deppler, Director, and Wim Fonteyne, Senior Economist, both of the IMF European Department, say in discussing a new book.
Why Islamic Finance Is Thriving
September 18, 2007
Length: 10:22 minutes
Abbas Mirakhor, Dean of the IMF's Executive Board and well-known authority on Islamic economics, finance, and banking, talks with Christine Ebrahim-zadeh about the exceptional growth that the Islamic finance industry has experienced over the past few years.
Corruption in the Petroleum Sector
August 30, 2007
Length: 13:14 minutes
Why is corruption so endemic in the petroleum sector? In a podcast interview, Charles McPherson of the IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department discusses the specific features of the petroleum industry that encourage corrupt practices.
Addressing Global Imbalances
August 7, 2007
Length: 3:34 minutes
John Lipsky, Deputy Managing Director, talks to Camilla Andersen about the IMF’s attempts to broker a multilateral approach involving the United States, China, the euro area, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, to reducing imbalances in the world economy.
Tough Times Ahead for the World Economy
October 9, 2008
The world economy is entering a downturn created by a combination of fallout from the burgeoning financial crisis in advanced economies, and high commodity prices.
IMF Presses Coordinated Response to Financial Crisis
October 8, 2008
With financial markets worldwide facing growing turmoil, internationally coherent and decisive policy measures are required to restore confidence in the global financial system, the IMF’s Global Financial Stability Report says.
Africa’s Main Task: Preserve Gains Won by Good Policies
August 28, 2008
Former Liberian finance minister Antoinette Sayeh took over as Director of the IMF's African Department last month. She tells IMF Survey online's Glenn Gottselig that a priority for Africa is that governments preserve recent gains and resist temptation to resort to populist policies.
Comprehensive Data Promote Market Efficiency
May 28, 2008
The IMF launched the data dissemination initiative ten years ago to strengthen transparency by establishing standards and codes. Natalie Hairfield talks with William E. Alexander, John Cady, and Jesus Gonzalez-Garcia, editors of a new book on this initiative.
IMF Reforms Country Representation
April 29, 2008
The IMF’s Board of Governors has adopted far-reaching reforms of the institution’s governance. The changes will enhance the participation and voice of emerging market and developing countries.
Lingering Imbalances Cloud Global Outlook
December 11, 2007
A combination of negative factors is threatening the global expansion. One problem is the continued payments imbalances between major economies—China, Japan, the euro area, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. The IMF has been trying to help reduce the imbalances through a coordinated approach.
Credit Growth in Eastern and Central Europe
May 14, 2007
Length: 9:10 minutes
Since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, countries in central and eastern Europe have made remarkable progress in putting their communist past behind them, with many of them joining the European Union. But now rapid credit growth may be putting some of these gains at risk. Camilla Andersen speaks with Charles Enoch and Inci Ötker-Robe, two IMF economists who have edited a new book on this topic.
Discussing the Global Economy
April 30, 2007
Length: 8:27 minutes
In a video interview, the IMF Economic Counsellor Simon Johnson talks about the prospects for the global economy. He also answers questions about his vision for IMF research and the reforms under way in the Fund.
Growth in Workers' Remittances
April 12, 2007
Length: 7:03 minutes
Workers' remittances are a large and growing source of external financing for developing countries. Two IMF economists use a model to explain remittance flows between countries. They find that policymakers should be cautious about using such remittances as insurance against shocks. Erik Lueth and Marta Ruiz-Arranz discuss their work with Archana Kumar.
Microfinance Takes Off in Low-income Asia
March 7, 2007
Length: 6:23 minutes
In a study on Bangladesh and Nepal, IMF economist Wafa Abdelati talks to Gita Bhatt about how microfinance has improved the access of the poor to financial services. To work, microfinance institutions must have high enough interest rates to be sustainable. Abdelati discusses the macroeconomic impact of microfinance in South Asia.
Read: The IMF and Microfinance
Is microfinance the right solution?
Does Global Labor Help or Hurt?
July 9, 2007
Length: 8:08 minutes
Florence Jaumotte of the IMF’s Research Department talks to Archana Kumar about the causes and effects of labor globalization. She also offers insights on the emotionally charged issue of outsourcing.
Lessons from China and India
December 18, 2006
Length: 6:44 minutes
Steve Dunaway and Jahangir Aziz, lead authors of an IMF book about China and India, talk to Sean Culhane about growth, development, and reform in the two Asian giants over the past 20 years.
See the book: China and India—Learning From Each Other: Reforms and Policies for Sustained Growth
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