Press Release No. 98/57

Press Release: IMF’s New Arrangements to Borrow Enter into Force

November 19, 1998

    With the adherence of the United States and Germany, the New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB), approved by the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on January 27, 1997 (see Press Release No. 97/5), became effective on November 17, 1998. The NAB are a set of credit arrangements between the IMF and 25 members and institutions to provide supplementary resources to the IMF to forestall or cope with an impairment of the international monetary system or to deal with an exceptional situation that poses a threat to the stability of that system.

    The NAB do not replace the existing General Arrangements to Borrow (GAB), which remain in force. The total amount of resources available to the IMF under the NAB and GAB combined will be up to SDR 34 billion (about US$ 48 billion), double the amount available under the GAB alone. By strengthening the IMF's ability to support the adjustment efforts of its members and to address their balance of payments difficulties, the NAB are an important element of the IMF's capacity to respond to potential systemic problems.

    The NAB decision will be in effect for five years from November 17, 1998, and may be renewed.

    The list of NAB participants and their credit arrangements is listed below.


    Participants and Amount of Credit Arrangements under the NAB



    Amount

    Participant

    (SDR millions)



    Australia

    810

    Austria

    412

    Belgium*

    967

    Canada*

    1,396

    Denmark

    371

    Deutsche Bundesbank*

    3,557

    Finland

    340

    France*

    2,577

    Hong Kong Monetary Authority

    340

    Italy*

    1,772

    Japan*

    3,557

    Korea

    340

    Kuwait

    345

    Luxembourg

    340

    Malaysia

    340

    Netherlands*

    1,316

    Norway

    383

    Saudi Arabia*

    1,780

    Singapore

    340

    Spain

    672

    Sveriges Riksbank*

    859

    Swiss National Bank*

    1,557

    Thailand

    340

    United Kingdom*

    2,577

    United States of America*

    6,712



    Total

    34,0001



    *Also a participant in, or associated with, the GAB.


    1On November 17, 1998 SDR 1 equaled US$1.39731.




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