Webinars
Webinar on Inclusive Growth (March 14, 2022) |
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| Presenters Ms. Valerie Cerra, Assistant Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF Mr. Martin Schindler, Deputy Division Chief, Institute for Capacity Development, IMF |
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The views presented in the webinar were based on the finding of the book “How to achieve inclusive growth” (Oxford University Press, 2021) co-edited by Valerie Cerra, Barry Eichengreen, Asmaa El-Ganainy, and Martin Schindler, with contributions by leading academic economists and experts from several international institutions. The book summarizes a wide array of empirical evidence and country experiences, lays out practical policy solutions, and devises a comprehensive and unified plan of action for combatting economic and social disparities. For detailed information click here. | ||
Webinar on Central Bank Digital Currencies (March 10, 2022) |
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| Presenters Mr. Gabriel Soderberg, Financial Sector Expert, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF Mr. Binur Zhalenov, Chief Executive Officer, Payment and Financial Technologies Development Center, National Bank of Kazakhstan Ms. Ainur Kenzhayeva, Project Manager, Payment and Financial Technologies Development Center, National Bank of Kazakhstan |
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The majority of IMF member countries are actively evaluating CBDCs, with only a few having issued CBDCs or undertaken extensive pilots or tests. The webinar gave an overview of the progress that selected pioneer central banks achieved in developing their digital currencies. Apart from various CBDC development phases in observed jurisdictions, there are also differences in policy goals, reflecting factors like the characteristics of the payment systems and various perceived domestic challenges. In the context of the region, Kazakhstan has achieved major progress in developing CBDC. Binur Zhalenov and Ainur Kenzhayeva from the Payment and Financial Technologies Development Center of the National Bank of Kazakhstan presented the main practical conclusions of | ||
| the report on the results of the Digital Tenge pilot project (white paper). For detailed information click here. | |||
Webinar on Regional Integration in Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia (February 24, 2022) |
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Regional integration can help in raising market efficiencies and enabling reforms while allowing countries to become building blocks of global integration. To allow policymakers and practitioners understanding the dynamics and progress in regional integration, ADB and CAREC Institute developed composite indices, which can measure the degree of regional integration in different countries and various dimensions. For detailed information click here. | ||
Webinar on Climate Change and Fiscal Policies (February 17, 2022) |
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Olivier Basdevant considered in greater detail various available options for tackling climate change for both commodities exporting and importing countries, which are represented in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA). Before going over fiscal policy frameworks, he outlined the key climate change-related challenges, which include mitigation, adaptation, and transition measures. Each country may have different policy goals and strategies regarding climate change, on the level of greenhouse emissions, including reaching carbon neutrality by a certain date. To be effective, these climate change goals need to be consistent with broader policy agendas countries may have. For detailed information click here. | ||
Webinar on Green Public Financial Management (February 10, 2022) |
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Given the cross-cutting nature of climate change and broader environmental concerns, “green PFM” can be a key catalyst for the implementation of an integrated government strategy to combat climate change. The objective of green PFM is to promote fiscal policies that are responsive to climate and environmental concerns. It does not require a novel approach to PFM, but rather an adaptation of existing PFM processes and tools. For detailed information click here. | ||
Joint Webinar with EBRD, IMF, and WB on State-owned Enterprises (February 2, 2022) |
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The large footprint of state-owned enterprises in the region calls for a review of the sector. The cooperation of EBRD, IMF-CCAMTAC, and the World Bank in organizing this event could be seen as a signal that all three institutions believe that SOE reform and an increasing role of the private sector could contribute strongly to unlocking the region's growth potential. For detailed information click here. | ||
Webinar on the Middle East and Central Asia Regional Economic Outlook: Analytical Chapter Outreach (December 9, 2021) |
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Employment in most countries remains below its pre-pandemic levels, which points to the risk of hysteresis where not all job losses can be recouped. After a sharp hit, the corporate sector in the ME&CA faces a steady but uneven recovery. Without reforms, the growth rate required to stabilize unemployment and the corporate sector will be high in many countries. For detailed information click here. | ||
Webinar on DIGNAR-19: A Toolkit for Macro Policy Assessments of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Emerging and Developing Countries (November 23, 2021) |
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Over the past seven years, the DIG and DIGNAR models havecomplemented the IMF and World Bank debt sustainability framework (DSF) analysis, over 65 country applications. They have provided useful insights in the context of program and surveillance work, based on qualitative and quantitative analysis of the macroeconomic effects of public investment scaling-ups, the collapse of commodity prices, and fiscal consolidations, among others. For detailed information click here. | ||
Webinar on IMF's Engagement on Climate Issues (November 16, 2021) |
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The IMF has been actively engaged on climate issues, given that climate change can impact trade and exchange rates, financial stability, growth and competitiveness, fiscal and debt sustainability, and social stability. Kristina Kostial stressed that fiscal, financial, and structural policies are key levers to address climate change and that they fall under the IMF’s mandate and are | ||
| aligned with Fund’s expertise. For detailed information click here. | |||
Webinar on IMF Online Learning: Shaping the Future of Capacity Development (August 26, 2021) |
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The Webinar gave a glimpse of the online learning opportunities that the IMF Online Training program offers to everyone around the world. And how all the participants can take advantage from this program. Initially, the online courses were intended for government officials, by now most courses are open for the public. The presentation also included a list of upcoming courses in 2021-2022, what to expect while participating, and how to make the best out of the participation. For detailed information click here. | ||
Webinar Discussion on Macroeconomic Frameworks / Financial Programming 2.0 (May 19, 2021) |
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Well-developed, flexible and easily adaptable macroeconomic frameworks have become even more important during the current COVID-19 pandemic, which has raised questions about the near-term policy stance, medium-term macroeconomic developments, and about longer-term debt dynamics. Moderating the event, Fernando Delgado explained that CD in this area is relatively new in the IMF’s range of assistance to member countries. The webinar was targeted at senior managers and staff responsible for macroeconomic analysis, forecasting, macro-fiscal analysis, and forecasting and policy analysis systems (FPAS) from Central Banks, Ministries of Finance and Economy, and Statistical Agencies. For detailed information click here. | ||
Webinar on Unwinding COVID-19 Policy Interventions for Banking Systems (May 6, 2021) |
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The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected all countries. Countries have responded appropriately not only by loosening monetary and fiscal policies but also by using regulatory and supervisory measures, including providing borrower support, adjusting bank capital requirements, and putting in place liquidity measures. This Webinar reviewed key policy interventions in the banking sector and offered some guidance and broad principles for managing the exit from crisis-related measures. It also suggested ways to prioritize supervisory tasks during the exit process. For detailed information click here. | ||
