About The IMF

The IMF monitors the international monetary system, as well as engaging in regular health checks of the economic and financial policies of its member countries. These activities are known as surveillance. As part of this work, carried out at both the country and global levels, the IMF highlights possible risks to stability and advises regarding policy adjustments. Country surveillance includes regular (usually annual) consultations with individual member countries, known as Article IV consultations. Under the Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP), the IMF also conducts regular in-depth country-by-country analysis of systemically important financial sectors.

The IMF provides financing to member countries experiencing actual, potential, or prospective balance of payments needs to help them solve their balance of payments problems while fostering strong economic growth. Through its Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST), the IMF’s financing also helps strengthen member countries’ prospective balance of payments stability. Although most financing is in support of a program, the IMF also provides fast-disbursing emergency financing with limited conditionality—such financing was provided at unprecedented levels following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IMF works with countries to strengthen their economic institutions by providing technical assistance and training on critical economic issues that are its core competencies. This work helps countries implement more effective economic and financial sector policies and tackle complex challenges. The IMF shares its knowledge—and that of its members—with government institutions such as finance ministries, central banks, statistical agencies, financial supervisory agencies, and revenue administrations, through hands-on advice, training, and peer-to-peer learning. IMF capacity development (CD) is delivered in person and remotely by IMF staff members, long-term in-country resident advisors, advisors at one of the 17 regional CD centers, and short-term experts, as well as through classroom training, hands-on workshops and seminars, and online courses.