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IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings: The Age of Austerity

April 20, 2013

International Monetary Fund   Washington, District of Columbia, United States
The World Bank   Washington, District of Columbia, United States

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The world has been shaken by outbreaks of civil unrest in response to the combined and lingering effects of high unemployment, worsening living conditions, and eroding confidence in governments. Contrary to public perception, austerity measures are not limited to Europe; in fact, many adjustment measures feature most prominently in developing countries. According to IMF data, 119 countries will be adjusting public expenditures in 2013, increasing to 131 countries in 2014 and the trend will continue at least until 2016.

In the aftermath of the Arab revolutions, countries in the region are facing serious balance of payments problems, mounting external debt, youth unemployment and inflation, and countries such as Egypt are facing record-low foreign exchange reserves. IMF loans and the policy conditions attached to them have the power to deeply impact the Arab peoples aspirations for a truly democratic transition based on social and economic justice.

Some key questions that this panel will try to address are:

Are the fiscal, monetary, tax and investment policies being considered by governments facilitating, or hindering, Arab and other countries in building an inclusive economy and supporting socio-economic recovery? 

Will public expenditure for critical social sectors, such as education, health, social protection be safeguarded or slashed?

How is chronic and high unemployment and high food and fuel prices being addressed?

Partners

Speakers

Mahinour El Badrawi, Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR), Cairo, Egypt
Kinda Mohamadieh, Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), Beirut, Lebanon
Manuel Montes, South Centre, Geneva, Switzerland
Isabel Ortiz, Initiative for Policy Dialogue, New York, USA
Chair: Bhumika Muchhala, Third World Network (TWN), Penang, Malaysia

  • Mahinour El Badrawi
    Speaker
    Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights
  • Kinda Mohamadieh
    Speaker
    Arab NGO Network for Development
  • Manuel Montes
    Speaker
    Senior Advisor
    Finance and Development
    The South Centre
  • Isabel Ortiz
    Speaker
    Global Social Justice Program Director
    Initiative for Policy Dialogue
  • Bhumika Muchhala
    Moderator
    Third World Network
All Files (2) zip
Choiceless Democracies: From Arab Revolution to Austerity

31kb docx
Manuel Montes

The Age of Austerity

870kb pdf
Isabel Ortiz,
Matthew Cummins

The Age of Austerity: A Review of Public Expenditures and Adjustment Measures in 181 Countries

Event Information

Type Meeting
Program Global Social Justice