| IMF Answers
Inner City Press on Transparency in Zambia
Ukraine & Ghana & Suriname Too
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
book
BBC -
Honduras
- CIA
Trial book - NY
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SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Sept 15 – When the
International Monetary Fund
held its first media briefing
since the summer months on
September 15, Inner City Press
asked spokesperson Gerry Rice
about three country. (And,
unlike today's UN, he answered
on all three; video
forthcoming on IMF's
website).
Inner City Press asked: On
Zambia after the IMF's program
announcement on Sept 7 the
Civil Society Organization
(CSO) Debt Alliance in Zambia
said "We implore the
government to commit to
enhancing transparency and
accountability in the usage of
the resources that will come
with this program. They say
the government of Zambia needs
to work “on promoting access
to information on the
utilization of these resources
including expediting the
process of passing the Access
to Information (ATI) Bill
early into the program." What
is the IMF's response /
requirement?"
The
IMF's Rice described the
Fund's program - then added
that there is a "governance
diagnostic" report that will
be released.
Inner City Press asked, On
Suriname, President Santokhi
says his country "wants to
renegotiate its existing
program with the IMF in
response to the new global
economic reality" (and is
asking for help from the
Dutch, with a seat on IMF's
board). Is the IMF open to
such renegotiation and can a
board member have the impact
envisioned by
Santokhi?
IMF's Rice noted they rarely
get question on Suriname, but
that program is being worked
on. And the role of the
Netherlands, which was
name-checked for signaling
support for the Ukraine
administrative account?
Inner City Press asked, On
Ghana what is the IMF's
response to former president
Mahama's criticism of the
Managing Director blaming the
country's woe on COVID and the
Ukraine war, and not the
current government's policies?
What is the status with
Ghana?
IMF's Rice
said the after expending
fiscal firepower on COVID, the
Ukraine war is a double
whammy. He also said the IMF
will soon be sending an
in-person mission on if not to
Ukraine, probably to be held
in Vienna. Watch this
site.
Addendum: It was Gerry Rice's last
briefing; he received deserved many
plaudits including this reporter saying, I've
sparred with many spokespeople but you
have been delight. True.
***
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