World Bank
The IMF’s $650bn SDR allocation and a future ‘digital SDR’
Focus is needed on widening SDR use in payments and the creation of a ‘digital SDR’, to support a large allocation of ‘official’ IMF SDRs, writes Warren Coats
People: Bank of Canada appoints top payments regulator
Iceland’s central bank appoints new CEO and World Bank names country directors
Mountfield to become World Bank vice-president, sources say
More people news: Atlanta Fed names senior VP, and Fed’s first supervision head goes to US Treasury
CBDCs provide ‘clean slate’ for cross-border payments, says report
International bodies urge central banks to bolster CBDC co-operation
World Bank appoints Caribbean and central Asian directors
New York Fed names chief of innovation hub and St Louis appoints head of economic equity institute
Somalia’s governor on rebuilding its central bank
Governor Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi discusses reviving Somalia’s war-damaged economy, re-creating a payments system, and dealing with remittances
Central banks leverage multimedia communication channels
Around a third have added podcasts, mobile apps and blogs to their comms repertoire
The Central Banking Awards 2021 virtual ceremony
View the trophy presentations, acceptance comments and future predictions from the winners of the eighth annual Central Banking Awards
The Belt and Road Initiative 2021 Survey – The impact of Covid‑19 on the BRI
The fourth annual Belt and Road Initiative survey reveals that the Covid‑19 pandemic has disrupted many projects despite China remaining committed to financing the initiative, which is expected to support future economic growth and environmental…
Myanmar suffering slow-motion bank run, reports say
Central bank struggles to supply cash and defend currency amid post-coup turmoil
Zhang Tao on the IMF’s fintech agenda, CBDCs and big tech oversight
IMF deputy managing director speaks about the fund’s perspectives on CBDC operating frameworks, regulating big tech and macrofinancial oversight in a digital world
Emerging-market central banks lead on women’s empowerment
EME central banks have more women at staff level and in senior positions, but there are deep disparities worldwide, with childcare availability appearing to be a major cause
IMF climate dashboard reveals pattern of vulnerabilities
Data ranges from frequency of natural disasters to carbon intensity of lending
People: Erdoğan fires deputy governor
IMF hires new finance director; new deputy governors at Nepal central bank; and more
Central Banking Awards 2021: winners in full
Winners in 2021 include the Federal Reserve, Alejandro Díaz de León and Charles Goodhart
Central Banking Awards 2021: first winners unveiled
First tranche of awards announced for governor, reserves management, green finance and more
Innovation in reserve management: World Bank Treasury/ANZ Bank
The pair developed a Swift-based messaging app to manage faster and safer cash operations for central bank members of Ramp at the height of the pandemic
Corporate Services Benchmarks 2021 report – trends in financial reporting and administration
Insights on staffing and salaries, technological automation, data security, rule compliance, gender equality and green office spaces in accounting, audit, HR and administration
People: Former Bank of Tanzania governor dies
Fed appoints chief innovation officer; World Bank names new head of International Finance Corporation; and more
Book notes: Asset management at central banks and monetary authorities, edited by Jacob Bjorheim
This excellent book fills a critical gap existing since IMF guidelines on asset management were revised
Is the integrity of Afghanistan’s central bank under threat?
Acting governor fires key staff and is accused of undoing reforms, while World Bank appears ready to suspend funds; administration and other donors show few signs of learning from Kabul Bank scandal
Monetary unions in the making in Africa
EAC, Ecowas and SADC can adopt practical steps learned from EMU to prepare for their own currency unions
Jim Wolfensohn, 1933–2020
David Malpass leads tributes, saying former World Bank chief “transformed” the way it did business
G20 agrees ‘common framework’ on debt relief
Leaders welcome decision, but criticise private sector for failure to act