IMF Podcasts

Illicit financial flows have been under the spotlight recently. Both the Panama and subsequent Paradise papers exposed large amounts of money held in tax havens—some under questionable circumstances, and the United Nations has included tackling illicit financial flows as a target within its Sustainable Development Goals. In this podcast, the Center for Global Development's Maya Forstater talks about how much or how little we really know about illicit financial flows. Forstater was invited to speak at the IMF as part of the Developing Economies Seminar Series. Maya Forstater is a Visiting Fellow at the Center for Global Development.

Le dernier rapport du FMI sur les perspectives économiques régionales de l'Afrique subsaharienne indique qu'avec l'adoption des bonnes politiques, la région pourrait globalement accroître ses recettes publiques de jusqu'à 5 % du PIB. Alex Segura est chef de mission pour le Gabon et il a dirigé l'équipe qui a écrit le chapitre sur la mobilisation des recettes fiscales en Afrique subsaharienne. Dans ce podcast, Segura explique que les gens sont plus susceptibles de se conformer à leurs obligations s'ils sont convaincus que le fisc est équitable. Alex Segura est conseiller au département Afrique du FMI.

The latest Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa suggests better policy design could help countries increase tax revenues by as much as 5 percent of GDP. Alex Segura heads the IMF team for Gabon, and led the team of economists who wrote the chapter on raising revenues in the report. In this podcast, Segura says when people perceive that the tax system is fair, they're much more likely to accept their tax obligations. Alex Segura is an Advisor in the IMF's African department.

Studying the market for salt in 19th century India and the effects on trade of a railroad built 150 years ago led economist Dave Donaldson to important new findings that are relevant today. Donaldson was the 2017 John Bates Clark Medalist, awarded for the most significant contributions by an economist under the age of 40. In this podcast, Donaldson talks about his work on trade and how it benefits economic welfare. A profile of Dave Donaldson, Sherlock of Trade is featured in the June 2018 edition of Finance and Development Magazine. Dave Donaldson is professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

As economic advisor to the government of India, Arvind Subramanian helped design the country's goods and services tax. In July of last year, the national GST replaced the patchwork of value-added, sales, and excise taxes levied by 29 states and the federal government. In this podcast, Subramanian discusses the benefits of the new tax with the IMF's Chris Wellisz. He says the tax helped create a single internal market for the first time since independence. Their conversation is also featured in the June 2018 edition of Finance and Development Magazine. Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor to the government of India

Estonians rarely stand in line for anything anymore. Estonia ranks among the most digitally advanced countries in the world and virtually all government services are now offered online. Estonia is also where Skype was born. In this podcast, Estonia's Chief Information Officer, Siim Sikkut talks about how technology has transformed Estonia's economy, and an e-residency program that is wooing more start-ups. Read more about Estonia's remarkable digitalization process in the March 2018 issue of Finance and Development Magazine. Siim Sikkut is Estonia's Chief Information Officer.

With public debt on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa, boosting the private sector has become more important than ever. Zhi Yong Heng is a private investor for TLG Capital, an investment firm that focusses on equity opportunities in Africa. In this podcast, Heng says investors are missing out on great investment opportunities because of misperceptions of the risks and the business environment in the region. The latest Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa devotes an entire chapter on private investment. Zhi Yong Heng is Head of Special Situations at TLG Capital

The latest Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa shows a modest uptick in growth largely driven by stronger global growth and higher commodity prices. In this podcast the IMF's Papa N'Diaye, says it's time to implement reforms that will firm up the recovery. The study shows growth picking up from 2⅔ percent in 2017 to 3½ percent in 2018. N'Diaye heads the team of IMF economists who write the report and he says the uptick is good news for the region which has been experiencing a slowdown in economic growth over the last few years.

When people trust their government, good things happen. They're much more likely to pay their taxes and support those large infrastructure investment projects that help economic growth. A new IMF paper on the institution's role in governance issues shows that high corruption means less growth and more inequality. In this podcast, Lea Giménez Duarte talks about how Paraguay has benefited from a transparency law introduced in 2015. Giménez Duarte is Paraguay's first ever woman finance minister, and joined a panel about transparency and corruption during the IMF World-Bank Spring Meetings. Lea Giménez Duarte is Paraguay's Finance Minister

The Global Financial Stability Report, or GFSR, is published twice a year and looks at the risks facing the global financial system. The objective is to prevent future crises by highlighting policies that might help mitigate some of those risks. In this podcast, the IMF's Fabio Natalucci suggests investors stay attuned to risks associated with rising interest rates and protectionism. Natalucci heads the team of economists who write the overview chapter of the GFSR. The report also looks at crypto-assets for the first time. Fabio Natalucci, is a Deputy Director in the IMF's Monetary and Capital Markets Department.