IMF Executive Board Approved Statement of Principles for Fund Engagement with External Partners

IMF News, September 23, 2026

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The Executive Board on September 14, 2026, approved, on a lapse-of-time basis, a statement of principles to guide the Fund’s engagement with external partners.
The Fund’s engagement with external partners complements the Fund’s work in accordance with its mandate and in support of its core activities of surveillance, Fund financing, and capacity development.
The principles were developed in response to the 2024 IEO Report on the Evolving Application of the IMF’s Mandate and the subsequent Management Implementation Plan.
Press Release No. 26/302
Contact: IMF Communications Department, MEDIA RELATIONS; PRESS OFFICER: Julie Ziegler; Phone: +1 202 623-7100; Email: MEDIA@IMF.org; @IMFSpokesperson

Fund engagement with external partners must be within its mandate and consistent with the Fund’s legal and policy framework.
External engagements should be guided by the Fund’s strategic objectives and priorities. Any engagements should have a well-articulated purpose with clear benefits to the Fund.
Institutional independence and autonomy of decision making of the Fund must be preserved.
The Managing Director and staff engaging with external partners must have the authority to do so.
The Fund selects external partners on a case-by-case basis, in line with its priorities, policies, and best practices.
Engagement with external partners should be well-tailored. It can be formal or informal and could be at either the institutional level or the Managing Director/staff level.
Monitoring and periodic reviews, as needed, should ensure that external engagements remain appropriate.
Publication of information related to external engagements is at the discretion of the Fund and should be consistent with Fund policies on transparency and publication.

Consistent with the Fund’s legal framework and building on existing policies and practices, and drawing on a review of existing arrangements, the high-level principles aim to anchor engagement with external partners while retaining flexibility to adapt to changing institutional needs and to address the operational challenges posed by the diverse nature and depth of Fund engagement across external partners and activities.
The Managing Director and staff must have authority to engage; selection of partners is done on a case-by-case basis in line with priorities, policies, and best practices.
Monitoring and periodic reviews are intended to ensure appropriateness of engagements over time.
Publication decisions are discretionary and must align with Fund policies on transparency and publication.

[1] Executive Board takes decisions under the lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without convening formal discussions.

Source: IMF Executive Board Approved Statement of Principles for Fund Engagement with External Partners, September 23, 2026.