The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reported progress in negotiations with El Salvador on policies to strengthen public finances, boost bank reserves, improve governance, and address bitcoin risks. Although many BTC risks haven’t materialized for El Salvador, the IMF stated that both parties agree on the need for enhanced transparency and measures to ensure fiscal…
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Nigeria’s central bank digital currency, known as the eNaira, was the first of its kind in Africa. However, it currently represents only about 0.36% of the total currency in circulation. Nigerian experts attribute the slow adoption of the e-naira to its perceived lack of significant benefits compared to the traditional naira. E-Naira Adoption Lags Despite…
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The Bank of Zambia has defended its de-dollarization plans but also seeks input from stakeholders who oppose the proposal. The central bank governor clarified that they are not proposing anything new; instead, the bank aims to enforce existing laws designating the kwacha as the sole legal tender for domestic transactions. Zambia’s Central Bank Seeks Input…
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The World Bank Executive Director for Russia forecasts that BRICS nations will soon dominate the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), attributing this shift to inevitable macroeconomic and demographic changes away from Western dominance. He emphasized the importance of working patiently toward this goal and resisting provocations from those upholding the old global…
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An International Monetary Fund representative has cautioned that Zambia’s proposed dedollarization initiative may inadvertently undermine efforts to contain inflation. The representative expressed concern that the prevailing economic conditions in Zambia are not conducive for the country to proceed with the de-dollarization proposals. Zambia Not Ideally Placed to Dedollarize The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Zambian representative,…
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The latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) Artificial Intelligence Preparedness Index reveals that only seven African countries have preparedness indices of 0.4 or more. South Africa leads the continent with a score of 0.5, while the Republic of South Sudan (0.11) and the Central African Republic (0.18) are ranked the lowest. Nigeria Not Among Africa’s Top…
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised the U.S. to improve its fiscal position by reducing spending and increasing revenues. The IMF emphasizes addressing rising debt through policy adjustments and recommends maintaining current interest rates until late 2024. “Given those risks, we agreed that the Fed should keep policy rates at the current level until…
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says 19 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia, including Bahrain, Georgia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, are in the advanced “proof-of concept” stage for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). “We support policymakers evaluating the need to issue a CBDC and help them craft strong policies and regulatory frameworks…
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Recent data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) points to an ongoing decline in the U.S. dollar’s share of allocated foreign reserves held by central banks and governments. Economists explained that reserve managers are attracted to nontraditional reserve currencies “because they provide diversification and relatively attractive yields, and because they have become increasingly easy to…
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stated that Zimbabwe’s recently introduced gold-backed fiat currency represents a significant policy step. This is the IMF’s first substantial comment on the currency since its inception. The global lender has reportedly announced plans to send a team in June to evaluate the performance of the new currency. Contrasting IMF…
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