Questions and Answers about 2020 Spring Meetings

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The IMF and the World Bank have agreed to implement a joint plan to adapt the 2020 IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings to a virtual format.
The virtual decision was made "given the evolving nature of the health crisis and restrictions to travel and mobility."
Overriding priority: "to facilitate global cooperation to save lives and jobs and help our members with every available tool to address the effects of the global pandemic health and economic crisis," while ensuring the health and safety of Spring Meetings participants and staff.
Last Updated: April 8, 2020.

The Meetings will be held virtually, "leveraging IT and web conferencing capabilities to the fullest."
Virtual engagement will be complemented by online platforms such as the World Bank Group and IMF websites, social media accounts, online media briefing centers, and other digital communications.
The IMF’s flagship publications will be released on time through virtual press conferences hosted by the Fund’s Online Media Briefing Center.
The IMF ran a special newsletter covering report launches and highlights during April 8-17.

The IMF and the World Bank Group will proceed with the meetings of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) and Development Committee (DC).
Both Committees will conduct their meetings virtually.
Official delegates participating in IMFC and DC sessions will receive further instructions from the Secretaries and from the office of their Executive Director of their respective institutions.
Delegates participating in the IMFC meeting can find more information on IMF Connect.

Registration for all categories of participants (Delegates, Observers, Guests, Press, and CSOs) is suspended; "All previous confirmations have been cancelled."
The IMF and World Bank Programs of Events/Seminars have been cancelled because of the decision to adapt the Meetings to a virtual format.
The Programs are planned to return to their regular format for the 2020 Annual Meetings.

Journalists will be able to access press conferences via the IMF’s Online Media Briefing Center and the World Bank’s Online Media Briefing Center.
For further information on media access to the various press conferences and to receive broadcast material, contact:
- IMF media relations: media@imf.org
- World Bank Group media relations: press@worldbank.org
The World Bank Group media relations team will communicate the schedule for press briefings ahead of the virtual-only meetings.

The World Bank Group and IMF are committed to listening to civil society groups through information sharing, dialogue, and consultation at the global, regional and national levels; they "will continue our engagement with civil society as usual outside the Meetings."
The IMF and World Bank Group will continue engagement with civil society through digital means despite Cancellation of Programs/Seminars.
Parliamentary Network physical meetings in Washington DC are postponed until the fall because of the adapted 2020 Spring Meetings format.
The IMF and World Bank Group public affairs teams will continue engagement with members of the Parliamentary Network through conference calls and other digital forms of communications as needed.

The IMF and World Bank took similar extraordinary steps after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by postponing and then shifting policy meetings to another location.