Newsletter

November 2023 - January 2024

     

 

Peer learning activities and innovations in learning modalities complemented bilateral TA. CCAMTAC and the Joint Vienna Institute (JVI) have launched a new blended cohort training program with two virtual training segments and two in-person workshops in Almaty and Vienna (forthcoming). A one-week national workshop on Financial Programming and Policies (FPP) in Ashgabat was the first in-person CD activity in Turkmenistan after the COVID-19 pandemic. CCAMTAC also hosted the first workshop ever on the IMF’s new Sovereign Risk and Debt Sustainability Framework for Market Access Countries, delivered by IMF headquarter colleagues, with participation from the World Bank. Read more

 

August-October 2023

     

 

Continued innovations have aimed at increasing the impact of CD and its reach, such as smaller group peer learning events and the first in-country macro-economic analysis / financial programming training. The latter was offered together with the Joint Vienna Institute (JVI) and the Resident Representative Office in Uzbekistan, embedded in the Macroeconomic Frameworks Workstream of the IMF Institute for Capacity Development. Read more

 

Newsletter May-July 2023

     

 

CCAMTAC started the new financial year 2024 on a high note. In early May we hosted a presentation of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department’s flagship publication “Regional Economic Outlook” in our office in Almaty. This event brought together officials, local business, and representatives from the diplomatic community, researchers, and academia. Our CCAMTAC team was thrilled to have an official opening ceremony of CCAMTAC and its office in Almaty on June 9, 2023.Read more

 

Newsletter February-April 2023

     

 

Since end-January CCAMTAC organized 7 regional in-person workshops in its new office, bringing some 170 officials to Almaty to complement an active program of bilateral technical assistance. Regional workshops promote peer learning and also lead to new interests in technical assistance. It was great a pleasure to see again many country authorities during the Spring Meetings in Washington DC, including to seek feedback on past delivery and discuss emerging needs. During a press conference Mr. Jihad Azour, Director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, summarized the findings of the economic outlook for the Middle East and Central Asia Read more

 

Newsletter November-January 2023

     

 

CCCAMTAC’s first in-person regional workshop took place in November in our new office. The workshop focused on practical aspects of the integrated GFS framework, with twenty-seven participants from ministries of finance, central banks and national statistical institutes (see video here). Bilateral technical assistance as well as other regional virtual webinars broadly evovled in line with the workprogram. Read more

 

Newsletter August-October 2022

     

 

CCAMTAC’s recent capacity development activities were discussed in early November during the first hybrid Steering Committee update meeting at the margins of the second Economic Forum in Uzbekistan, Samarkand. In a gorgeous setting, opened by the Chairman of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan Mamarizo Nurmuratov, the meeting provided an excellent opportunity for several stakeholders to get together for the first time in-person. Read more

 

Newsletter May-July 2022

     

 

During the past three months, bilateral CD support focused on analyzing and addressing fiscal risks, including those related to climate, improving budget preparation, addressing tax compliance risk; enhancing modelling capabilities; finetuning the calculation of reserve requirements; and improving statistics. Read more...

 

Newsletter February-April 2022

        


The world economy as a whole and several countries covered by CCAMTAC in particular face immense challenges. Despite signs of improvements, the pandemic is not yet over. The war in Ukraine is leading to massive human suffering and significant economic repercussions. This geopolitical conflict and associated economic shock add multiple setbacks to a recovery, which seemed to be ongoing at a time when the policy space was already more limited: Read more...

 

Newsletter November 2021-January 2022

        


One year passed since CCAMTAC was launched virtually, following the 2021 inaugural steering committee meeting. Many of us had expected that by now we would be back to face-to-face delivery of capacity development. Taking stock of the virtual experience so far, three main thoughts come to mind: Read more...

 

Newsletter August-October 2021

        


With all seven resident advisors on board, in cooperation with IMF headquarters and short-term experts, regional capacity development (CD) and country-specific CD across all workstreams are taking shape. This newsletter covers activities between August and October 2021 and provides in the Appendix a summary of the recent and planned CD until the end of January 2022. Read more...

 

Newsletter May-July 2021

        


I hope you enjoy reading the second update from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia Regional Capacity Development Center (CCAMTAC), which is part of the IMF’s network of 17 such centers worldwide. This newsletter covers activities between May and July 2021 and provides in the Appendix a summary of recent and planned activities until the end of October. Read more...