What are your thoughts on trade and the role of the IMF and the World Bank in the midst of this global trade war?
I think that it is useful if delegates to the meetings here this week compare notes to assess fully the negative impact of the tariffs and countertariffs that we have seen on their economies and [the] global economy.
There are important topics other than trade, but trade also affects all of these other [topics]… Jobs affect trade, trade affects jobs, Trade affects debt, debt affects jobs… so it's this kind of broad overarching agenda of financing development.
The risk chapter of the Global Financial Stability Report is something that people should look at... There are surprises possible down the road, and markets can react quite drastically… so there is a potential for quite big risks.
The big question will be how the US is going to engage with the IMF and the World Bank over the coming months… I'm a bit optimistic about that. The IMF just had a new Argentina program, and that's not why I'm optimistic, but it was endorsed by the US.
The IMF and World Bank should… refocus their attention and work on their core mandates... I think that is something that the Trump administration [will repeat]… to make sure that the two institutions will stick to their core mandates.
Believe it or not, there will be conversations beyond trade at this meeting.
Volatility has been an issue for markets… that will be part of the conversation here, and certainly the Global Financial Stability Report has a role to play.
The White House is retreating from international institutions writ large... How does that impact what is really the heart of economic multilateralism?
How do you see the administration’s engagement?
Josh Lipsky
Josh Lipsky
Josh Lipsky
Josh Lipsky
Josh Lipsky
Nicole Goldin
Nonresident Senior Fellow, GeoEconomics Center; Head, Equitable Development, United Nations University-Centre for Policy Research
Martin Mühleisen
Nonresident Senior Fellow, GeoEconomics Center
Hung Tran
Nonresident Senior Fellow, GeoEconomics Center
Martin Mühleisen
Nonresident Senior Fellow, GeoEconomics Center
Hung Tran
Nonresident Senior Fellow, GeoEconomics Center