Global Advocacy for IMF Reform Sue Perez Treatment Action Group (TAG) For IAS conference workshop – IMF Policies Blocking the Response to HIV/AIDS: A Call for Activism 4 August 2008

Monetary & Fiscal Policy Reform Mounting evidence from developing countries that IMF M&F policies have effect of limiting national spending (i.e. budget ceilings), subsequently for health and education and leading to wage bill ceilings IEO (Apr 07) and CGD (Jun 07) reports further substantiated this evidence US CSOs used report data to bolster advocacy

Action by CS community Oct 07 – over 100 global CSOs sign letter calling on new IMF Managing Director to change M&F policies, adopt expansionary M&F policies, cease to impose wage bill ceilings Dec 07 – US-based CSOs meet w/UNICEF urging them to raise negative impact of IMF M&F policies at H8 mtg Jan 2008 Feb 08 – CS concerns on IMF M&F policies raised at 1 st IHP+ countries in Lusaka Mar 08 – Evidence on impact of IMF M&F policies presented at Global Health Workforce Alliance mtg in Kampala May 08 – CS concerns about IMF M&F policies raised at 1 st CS Forum on IHP+ in Geneva

Outcome Jul 07 – IMF Executive Board decides to use wage bill ceilings as IMF loan conditions less frequently, but can still impose in some cases CS needs to stay on top of it and monitor Not enough – Getting rid of wage bill ceilings is critical, but still doesnt address overarching negative impact of M&F policies Chair of key committee in US Congress has requested the USG Accountability Office to conduct a study on impact of M&F policies

IMF Gold Sales Dec 2007 – IMF announces that it will sell some of its gold and use proceeds to create fund for admin budget (i.e. salaries); enable IMF to be self-financing – Sale to happen early 2009 Sales of IMF gold has to be approved by the US Congress – KEY ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITY!! After sales, Congress will no longer have substantial leverage over IMF policies. US NGOs see advocacy opportunity to tie proceeds of gold sales to debt cancellation and condition sale to M&F policy reform

Action by CS community Apr 08 – over 80 US CSOs sent letter to US Congress calling on policy changes linked to authorization of gold sales US CSOs working with key committee in Congress that oversees IMF to garner support for gold sales proposal Chair of committee is open to bold proposal on IMF reform

Bold Proposal? US and European CSOs strategizing on the following options: PRGF elimination (& redirect funds to different source of aid) – US Congress and US Treasury interested, but will not go it alone - will only happen if Europe is on board; Europe will be a challenge (France & Germany) Elimination of structural conditions imposed in loan & assessment programs – includes taxation, trade liberalization, privatization – US Congress interested; Europe open too

What You Can Do Link up w/CSOs in your countries that work on these issues to increase knowledge and voice Establish communication w/CSOs sponsoring this workshop to continue engagement and strategizing Ask questions of MOF to start a dialogue (i.e. push for participation in policy dialogue when IMF comes to town, transparency) Ask MOH how IMF policies are impacting to get evidence Educate Parliament to get them interested, supportive Support global efforts (i.e. sign on letters, media) WHAT ELSE??? (day of action pre-WB/IMF mtgs, stunts)