Rodrigo Rato Quotations

We are prepared, as in the past, to provide financial support by augmenting existing programs or by providing new financial assistance to countries that experience drought-related balance of payments needs.

We have seen a strong increase in oil prices and up to this year we see that the world has been able to absorb that.

I find these views optimistic to the point of willful blindness.

Given the importance of the Chinese economy, that will be healthy for the world economy.

What we have achieved is a good example of how the right policies deliver.

There is a need to reduce obstacles to both upstream and downstream investment, and to invigorate conservation programs. These measures will take some time to show effect but surely the sooner we start the better.

It is advisable for the country to privatize the state Telecommunication Company (HONDUTEL), and allow larger competition on the market for its $4-million debt to be pardoned.

I think the Chinese authorities, one, clearly recognize the advantage to move to a more flexible monetary system and, two, they recognize it has to be done in a gradual way but that it has to be done without delay,

It is likely that higher prices are going to last and that ... we have to adjust to a situation that is going to last.

Our intent is to make the fund more focused on the key priorities of this effort by making our advice to individual members and the whole international community more effective.

Most cases, I would say, in a huge amount of cases, countries that have worked with us and have used our financial facilities have come out quick... more quickly and in a better shape from a crisis than would have come out otherwise.

Those arrears have been cleared but also there are issues right now regarding the consistency of data and we are working on that.

Those are the three main elements in which we're working with Iraqi authorities,

We are really engaged in the future of Zimbabwe and we have been advising the authorities of Zimbabwe to change their course, both in macroeconomic terms and also in the respect of plurality and human rights and governance.

We are convinced that unambiguous signs of economic recovery...are already appearing.

The prospect of the fund declining to provide financial support would strengthen the incentives to implement sound policies, thus avoiding the need for fund support in the first place.

The problem is that good economic performance rests on a shaky foundation, because of large and continuing global imbalances.

There are actions governments and central banks can take to reduce the risks of that outbreak, and we are making sure that all partners in this respect are aware of what they can do.

We see the world economy growing faster than we expected in September.

We don't see a great reduction in demand... There have been some hints that demand will be receding in the second quarter, but we see strong demand in the world.

This year is going to be challenging for the budget in the U.S. and probably we are going to see a resurgence of a deficit, which is not good news.

We see clearly that governments have to make consumers and companies aware of the true prices. This is not going to be just a short-lived increase in the oil prices.

We see a recovery in Europe, not very acute but a recovery, and we see a more broad-based recovery in Japan.

We should be able to have this in the next few weeks.

There was a consensus, at least among the two big parties, that reforms were crucial.

These measures would take some time to have their full effect, but taking them would help calm the oil market.

So we see clearly that the Indian government is moving in a path of reform that will allow the Indian economy to perform on a strong footing in future. We think that the prospects for the Indian economy are very good.

oil prices have become certainly a threat to the world economy.

And then you might decide that the country can just spend maybe years or decades to regain that credit, or maybe give that county the support, the financial support that the market is not willing not do.

This is an institution based on the representation of countries based on their economic weight in the world economy. The world economy is not a frozen thing; it changes over time.

This is an historic moment which will allow these countries to increase spending in priority areas to reduce poverty, promote growth, and to make progress towards achieving the (UN) Millennium Development Goals.

There is very strong demand and we don't see that demand receding. Prices are not going back to the levels seen at the beginning of 2004.

They are opening their exchange rate to market forces. That is what we advised them to do and they should continue in that direction. They need to strengthen their banking system, and that is a big challenge.

This is a very good moment for Latin America to take advantage of very good economic circumstances.

In Europe we think that the current policy of the ECB is appropriate... At least that is until there is a clear and stable recovery.

I'm very glad to see that the biggest shareholder of the Fund has already expressed publicly its support for this agenda and other significant countries have done so to.

However, we do see some significant risks that under certain circumstances could increase the vulnerability of the global economy.

These imbalances pose serious risks to prosperity, because they are clearly unsustainable, and if they are corrected in a disorderly way, through an abrupt decline in the U.S. dollar and rise in U.S. interest rates, growth and prosperity all over the world will be threatened,

Alleviation of that debt will help achieve a substantial poverty reduction.

The impact of oil on the global economy has so far been moderate, but it remains a serious risk.

And it's also producing a growth in debt to the United States that will weight very heavily in a country that has to address issues like having more old people to be covered by Social Security or by pension in the future.

The Fund is uniquely placed to provide this function.

The committee has given me a clear mandate to make some proposals in Singapore.

We believe that the Federal Reserve has to carry on with a progressive increase in interest rates as a consequence of the American economy.

We have believed for many years, much earlier than anyone else was talking about this issue, that it was in the interest of China to evolve to a more flexible exchange rate system.

We would certainly encourage the Italian government to put forward an ambitious agenda of reform.

To try to correct imbalances with trade restrictions is a grave error.

I mean, the world has already done a big, big effort to forget debt to countries heavily indebted and with low income. And that has given good chances to countries to get out of poverty.

Masood Ahmed brings to the position of director of external relations extensive experience gained in a range of senior positions in international finance and development.

There is not an alternative to the US as the engine for growth.

We also need a fund that can say 'no'.

Oil prices have certainly become a threat for the world economy.

So the American economy needs the world, and the world needs the American economy.