## IMF Support for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals

_IMF Blog, July 19, 2017_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [IMF Support for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals](https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2017/07/19/imf-support-for-the-united-nations-sustainable-development-goals)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/blogs/articles/2017/07/19/imf-support-for-the-united-nations-sustainable-development-goals/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/blogs/articles/2017/07/19/imf-support-for-the-united-nations-sustainable-development-goals/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/blogs/articles/2017/07/19/imf-support-for-the-united-nations-sustainable-development-goals/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Authors: Stefania Fabrizio, Roland Kpodar, Chris Lane
- Published: July 19, 2017

---

### Overview
- Publication: "IMF Support for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals" by Stefania Fabrizio, Roland Kpodar, Chris Lane, July 19, 2017.
- Context: Since the adoption of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, the IMF has supported countries through policy advice, training, and financial support.
- Core IMF mandate emphasized: promote international economic and financial stability and help countries achieve strong, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth—foundations for eradicating poverty, providing decent work, and reducing inequality.
- Upcoming commitment: An in-depth assessment of the scope and effectiveness of IMF support for the implementation of the 2030 development agenda will be prepared next year.
- Recent engagement: At the UN High-Level Political Forum this week, 44 countries presented actions and measurement challenges related to achieving the goals.

### Macroeconomic context and rationale for IMF engagement
- Global conditions:
  - Global growth is gaining momentum, but it remains uneven.
  - Many countries face deteriorating circumstances, including commodity exporting low-income economies, amid a large drop in commodity prices and rising debt levels.
- Rationale:
  - Maintaining economic stability and achieving strong growth are key foundations from which countries can pursue SDGs.
  - Strengthening public finances provides additional resources for public health, education, and infrastructure.
- Cross-cutting IMF advisory focus in recent years includes inequality, gender, financial inclusion, and climate change.

### Inequality: findings and policy advice
- Findings:
  - IMF research shows higher income inequality leads to shorter growth spells and higher levels of economic instability.
  - Economic reforms that boost growth can in themselves increase inequality in some contexts.
- Country examples and recommendations:
  - Guatemala, Malawi, and Myanmar: IMF found growth-boosting reforms could increase inequality; recommended design features and complementary measures to mitigate distributional impacts.
  - Malawi: Recommended targeted cash transfers and higher spending in agricultural research and development to boost long-term productivity of poor farmers who would otherwise lose out from subsidy reduction.
    - Outcome: Malawian authorities drew on these recommendations to design last year’s subsidy reform.

### Gender: findings and policy advice
- Finding:
  - Increasing women’s paid work has a significant positive impact on economic growth.
- Country engagements:
  - IMF supported Egypt, India, Jordan, and Mali in efforts to encourage more women to enter the paid workforce.
  - Mali: Identified the female-male educational gap and a high fertility rate as main constraints to women entering the paid workforce.
    - Recommendations: more spending on education, training programs for girls and women, and increasing provision of contraceptives.

### Financial inclusion: findings and policy advice
- Definition: provision of access to financial services such as banking to all.
- Practical “how to” advice provided in Colombia, Namibia, and Nigeria.
- Country examples:
  - Colombia: Highlighted the importance of an electronic money license and the introduction of a centralized electronic movable property registry to enhance financial access for individuals and small enterprises.
  - Jamaica: Following IMF recommendations, authorities established a financial inclusion council to oversee implementation of the national financial inclusion strategy.

### Climate: findings and policy advice
- Vulnerability:
  - Small states are among the most vulnerable to climate change and damaging natural disasters.
- Joint work:
  - IMF and World Bank are working together on Climate Change Policy Assessments.
  - Pilots: Seychelles and St. Lucia.
    - Purpose: Advise on climate change adaptation and mitigation policies to improve disaster response, reduce risk, and increase preparedness.
    - Fiscal advice: Keep adequate room in the budget and create contingency financial plans.
- Research:
  - The upcoming World Economic Outlook will examine effects of climate on the economic performance of low-income economies.

### Conclusions and next steps
- IMF role: Assist countries to create sustainable economic conditions that enable pursuit of SDGs.
- Reporting and evaluation:
  - Next year the IMF will prepare an in-depth assessment of the scope and effectiveness of IMF support for the implementation of the 2030 development agenda.

*Source: IMF blog post "IMF Support for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals", July 19, 2017.*

---

## Content in this bundle

- **国际货币基金组织助力联合国实现可持续发展目标; IMF博客; 2017年7月20日**
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- **MACRO-STRUCTURAL POLICIES AND INCOME INEQUALITY IN LOW-INCOME DEVELOPING COUNTRIES**
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  - [MACRO-STRUCTURAL POLICIES AND INCOME INEQUALITY IN LOW-INCOME DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/sdn/2017/sdn1701.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}
- **EXECUTIVE SUMMARY**
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  - [EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (PDF)](/external/np/pp/eng/2016/110416.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}
- **sdn1402 - Executive Summary**
  - [sdn1402 - Executive Summary (Markdown version)](/external/pubs/ft/sdn/2014/sdn1402.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
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---

## References

- [عربي](https://blog-montada.imf.org/?p=5501)
- [https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BLOG-1024x600-SDGs-Schoolchildren-in-line-in-Mali-Stringer-Reuters-Newscom-rtrlseven394049-.jpg](https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BLOG-1024x600-SDGs-Schoolchildren-in-line-in-Mali-Stringer-Reuters-Newscom-rtrlseven394049-.jpg)
- [https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/SDG-BLOG-CHART-PP.jpg](https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/SDG-BLOG-CHART-PP.jpg)
- [additional resources](https://blogs.imf.org/2015/06/11/financing-for-sustainable-development-money-and-the-right-policies/)
- [financial inclusion](https://blogs.imf.org/2015/01/28/a-big-step-forward-for-bolstering-financial-inclusion/)
- [World Economic Outlook](http://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2017/07/07/world-economic-outlook-update-july-2017)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2017/07/19/imf-support-for-the-united-nations-sustainable-development-goals_