Reform of the international monetary system was placed on the agenda of the Group of 20 (G-20) a year ago at the initiative of the incoming French leadership of the G-20. On November 4, 2011 in Cannes, France, the G-20 leaders will announce their conclusions and agreements after a year and half...

Sarah Bagnall and Edwin M. Truman examine the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) report, which claims to be "a solid, initial step toward a better understanding of the IFSWF and of the Santiago Principles," and find this to be largely true, with a few limitations. The report,...

At the recent Cannes G-20 summit, the international monetary system (IMS) reform agenda, along with a number of other important issues, was hijacked by the European crisis. Nevertheless, the G-20 countries and various international institutions conducted an intensive process of review and...

The central challenge facing the global economy and financial system today is the failure of countries to limit the negative effects of their policies on other countries and on global economic and financial stability. The most prominent manifestations of this challenge are the...

The current allocation of decision making in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), determined largely by the distribution of members' quotas, has failed to keep up with the changing world economy. The situation undermines the Fund's relevance and legitimacy in promoting global growth and...

Management of official holdings of foreign assets, in particular in sovereign wealth funds, has become a major focus of national and international economic and financial policy. The principal reasons are their size, lack of transparency, potential to disrupt financial markets, and the risk that...

Management of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs)--pools of government-owned or government-controlled financial assets--has become a major focus of national and international economic and financial policy. The principal reasons are their size, lack of transparency, potential to disrupt financial...

The debate about what to do with the projected substantial federal budget surpluses over the next 10 years focuses on three basic options: cut taxes, increase expenditures, and retire or pay down federal debt. The result will be a combination. The issue is that of relative proportions. Larger...

Economists and the financial world have grown increasingly excited about or alarmed by the growing influence of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), though in recent years the public debate about their role has subsided. Politicians in countries in which the funds invested have generally welcomed the...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) continues to play an indispensable role in stabilizing the world economy and financial system, but it will need assistance (particularly from the US Congress) if it is to continue to help troubled and strong countries alike. US leadership has been crucial in...