The Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank are underway in Washington, DC (April 24) bringing together representatives of 191 member countries and thousands of policymakers, journalists, and civil society leaders.
The Annual and Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group each year bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, private sector executives, civil society representatives, and academics to discuss the state of the global economy and issues of international concern, such as the growth outlook, financial stability, and poverty reduction.
The Meetings are the only gathering of its kind in the world and a unique forum for discussion on economic policymaking.
The Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the IMF and World Bank Group take place in October in Washington, DC. and every third year in a city of another member country.
The Board of Governors consists of a high-level representative from each of the 191 member countries, typically the finance minister, central bank governor, or minister of development. During the Meetings, the Governors participate in a plenary session and discuss the challenges for the global economy. They also decide on major policy issues related to the future work of the two organizations, which are subsequently implemented by their respective Executive Boards.
In addition, the IMF's International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) and the joint IMF-World Bank Development Committee (DC) meet to discuss progress on the work of the two organizations.
The IMFC has 25 members drawn from the Board of Governors and oversees the work of the IMF. It focuses discussions on the global economy, developments in financial markets, as well as other pressing issues within the IMF’s mandate. For its part, the DC advises the Board of Governors of the World Bank on critical development issues and financial resources required to promote economic development and poverty reduction in developing countries.
