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IMF Answers on Colombia and Myanmar As Inner City Press Asks of Crises

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Video
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN

SDNY COURTHOUSE, May 6 – When the International Monetary Fund held its biweekly embargoed press briefing on May 6, Inner City Press asked about unrest (and tax hikes) in Colombia, the coup in Myanmar, and a program for Uganda. Interim video here, IMF video and transcript forthcoming.  Spokesperson Gerry Rice responded on each.

Inner City Press asked, "Given unrest in Colombia, is there any updated IMF thinking on the situation in the country, since the April 28 announcement of Colombia's qualification for the arrangement under the Flexible Credit Line?"

  The IMF's Rice among other things said that while the IMF is watching President Duque's moves, Colombia is still eligible for the FCL, due to its strong economic fundamentals. Why the tax hike on eggs and milk, then?

Inner City Press asked, On Myanmar can you update us on IMF's contacts with the regime and other authorities, including those seeking to be recognized?

  Rice's answer was that there was not much new IMF news; he used the word regime and expressed concern.

  Finally Inner City Press asked, " On Uganda, please confirm - and if so, comment on -- reports that Uganda is seeking at least $900 million in a three-year IMF program for its budget amid rising spending due to the Covid-19 pandemic."

  Rice confirmed that's the size of the request, said things are progressing with more still to be ironed out. The size will be up to the IMF Board.

   Back on March 11 in a question Inner City Press, given what it has reported on for the past three days was compelled to ask, it sent and asked, "On Honduras, given mounting evidence including in the trial of Geovanny Fuentes-Ramirez that high government officials are implicated in narco-trafficking, what are the IMF's comments on current programs and safeguards in place?"

  As noted, Spokesperson Rice said that IMF does not comment on (pending) judicial proceedings. At least he took the question.

Watch this site.

Back on January 8 Inner City Press asked the IMF's Helge Berger, Mission Chief, about China's so-called Belt and Road Initiative: "Your Article IV report cites China's "overseas lending projects" amid "rising geopolitical tensions and economic and trade frictions." How does the IMF think that rising debt levels among African countries, and increased skepticism about the "Belt and Road" will impact or be addressed going forward? -Matthew Russell Lee, Inner City Press. Video here.




(An aside: Inner City Press has reported on the CEFC China Energy Fund Committee's activities in Chad and Uganda and in the UN, on which the UN is UNresponsive.)

Other questions included China's digital currency (Inner City Press also reports on crypto-currency cases in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and elsewhere). Berger said when used overseas an issue is that residents could start using another country's currency, if it is easier.

We'll have more on this.

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Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

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