Press Release No. 06/101

Press Release: IMF Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato to Visit Austria, Malaysia, and Singapore

May 18, 2006

Mr. Rodrigo de Rato, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will travel to Austria, Malaysia, and Singapore, May 22-25, to meet with the authorities and to participate and address several conferences focused around key global economic issues.

In Vienna, Austria, on May 22, the Managing Director will deliver a keynote speech at the 34^th Austrian National Bank Economic Conference. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 24, Mr. de Rato will meet with the authorities to discuss the outcome of the recent Spring Meetings of the International Monetary and Financial Committee and the implementation of the IMF's Medium-Term Strategy.

Following his visit to Malaysia, the Managing Director, also on May 24, will visit Singapore to speak on Asia's role in the global economy at the annual dinner of the Economic Society of Singapore. On May 25, Mr. de Rato will co-chair a high-level seminar on regional financial integration, which is being organized jointly by the IMF and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). This is the second high-level seminar hosted with the MAS and is a follow-up to the seminar held in Singapore in September 2005. Mr. de Rato will also meet with the authorities during his Singapore visit.