Course Details
931: The World of the IMF—the Workings of the International Monetary Fund
July 8-12
9:45 AM -
11:15 AM
In-Person
The IMF is a presence in DC. It is an important actor in the international arena of financial analysis and economic policy formulation. However, it is often largely unknown by the public. This course endeavors to provide insights into the nature and work of the IMF and clarify some of the concepts and general understandings that may prevail. The IMF’s missions, actions and operations, and the structure and financing of its programs will be discussed, along with the methodology applied for country analysis and policy recommendations. In this, the focus will rest on major issues related to Low-Income Countries (LICs). The history, present issues, and proposed approaches to LIC over-indebtedness will be addressed.
View Syllabus
Class Type: Lecture and Discussion
Class Format: In-Person
Hours of Reading: Less than 1 hour/session
Study Group Leader(s):
Werner KellerWerner Keller, a national of Switzerland and France, is a former Senior Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He ended his career consulting as a Senior Advisor with the Executive Director’s Office representing Switzerland, Poland, Serbia, and Central Asian Republics. Before this, he worked as a staff member on two dozen countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America, analyzing their economic and financial performance, including under Fund-supported programs, and formulating policy recommendations, including debt issues. He was also posted as IMF Resident Representative in Togo and Cameroon. Before joining the IMF staff, he had already served as Advisor to the Swiss Executive Director. He began his career as a country risk and business cycle analyst with Swiss Bank Corporation and worked in the Swiss Federal Office for Foreign Economic Affairs on regional development banks during Switzerland’s membership application for the Bretton Woods Institutions.
Werner has a bachelor’s degree in economics and social sciences from the University of Geneva and a master’s degree in macroeconomics from the University of St. Gallen. Since his retirement, he has been teaching master’s level students at the Catholic University of Madagascar and of three leading public and private universities in Benin.
Reading List:
Annual Report 2023 (IMF) | 2023: IMF (https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/ar/2023/) | Recommended