This chapter presents policy statement on IMF technical assistance (TA) programs. The TA programs provide a cooperative framework for the sharing of knowledge and international experience, in a lasting manner, with member countries. The IMF seeks to provide technical assistance as efficiently and effectively as possible in its core substantive areas of competency namely macroeconomic policy formulation and management among others. Technical assistance is provided in a variety of forms. These include IMF staff missions from headquarters; the placement of experts for periods ranging from a few months to a few years. Technical assistance is provided only when requested by a country's authorities. Since the demand for such assistance normally exceeds the resources available from the IMF, a number of considerations are considered in prioritizing country requests. The IMF encourages member countries who have not yet done so to consider providing such complementary financial support to enhance the resources available for technical assistance, preferably in a manner that is as unrestricted as possible.

Industrial policy is tainted with bad reputation among policymakers and academics and is often viewed as the road to perdition for developing economies. Yet the success of the Asian Miracles with industrial policy stands as an uncomfortable story that many ignore or claim it cannot be replicated. Using a theory and empirical evidence, we argue that one can learn more from miracles than failures. We suggest three key principles behind their success: (i) the support of domestic producers in sophisticated industries, beyond the initial comparative advantage; (ii) export orientation; and (iii) the pursuit of fierce competition with strict accountability.

This statement summarizes the IMF’s policies and practices with regard to the delivery of capacity development (CD) activities. It updates the 2001 Policy Statement on IMF Technical Assistance, incorporating the principles outlined in the 2013 CD strategy paper approved by the Executive Board as well as relevant principles described in earlier documents considered by the Executive Board.1 The purpose of the statement is to consolidate the guiding principles endorsed by the Board with policies and practices that are within the authority of IMF’s Management and are followed by staff in carrying out capacity development activities. The statement is expected to be of use to IMF staff, Executive Directors and their staff, country authorities, and donors. It also serves as a point of reference for future reviews of the IMF’s CD activities.

The Staff Operational Guidelines on Dissemination of Technical Assistance Information have been updated to reflect the authority reserved to Fund management and TA recipients to provide explicit consent for the dissemination of TA information in scenarios not specifically envisaged in these guidelines.

This pamphlet focuses on the Technical Assistance Program of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is part of a series that aims to describe key aspects of the activities and policies of the IMF for the general public. Providing technical assistance to member countries particularly developing countries and countries in transition7is among the IMF's most important jobs. Yet this major component of our work is relatively unknown to the public at large. While the IMF's lending in support of policy programs in crisis countries captures the world's headlines, its technical assistance rarely does so, although it plays a vital role in laying foundations for stronger economies and for a better future for the people of many countries of the world. The technical assistance provided by the IMF, which includes training for government and central bank officials, is recognized as an important benefit of IMF membership. It is provided mainly in the IMF's core areas of responsibility and expertise public finance, central banking, economic and financial statistics, and related legal matters. IMF staff, together with experts from member countries, share with member governments and central banks approaches for improving the design and implementation of economic policy, as well as for building up local expertise and helping develop stronger institutions, with the aim of enhancing economic policy management.

This paper sets out a framework for streamlined and strengthened procedures for the wider dissemination of technical assistance-related information ("TA Information"). On the basis of this framework, management intends to issue guidelines to the staff setting forth these new procedures.

The sizeable increase in income inequality experienced in advanced economies and many parts of the world since the 1990s and the severe consequences of the global economic and financial crisis have brought distributional issues to the top of the policy agenda. The challenge for many governments is to address concerns over rising inequality while simultaneously promoting economic efficiency and more robust economic growth. The book delves into this discussion by analyzing fiscal policy and its link with inequality. Fiscal policy is the government’s most powerful tool for addressing inequality. It affects households ‘consumption directly (through taxes and transfers) and indirectly (via incentives for work and production and the provision of public goods and individual services such as education and health). An important message of the book is that growth and equity are not necessarily at odds; with the appropriate mix of policy instruments and careful policy design, countries can in many cases achieve better distributional outcomes and improve economic efficiency. Country studies (on the Netherlands, China, India, Republic of Congo, and Brazil) demonstrate the diversity of challenges across countries and their differing capacity to use fiscal policy for redistribution. The analysis presented in the book builds on and extends work done at the IMF, and also includes contributions from leading academics.