Annual Meetings and Annual Budget Impasses
by Aaron Ranck, Senior Fellow, and Tenley Smith, Senior Program Associate
This year’s government shutdown arrives on the eve of consequential IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings, and a budget fight means the IMF and World Bank’s congressional priorities will not be easy legislative wins.
After April’s Spring Meetings, the US agenda for the IMF and World Bank was clear. A review of US participation in all international organizations placed a sword of Damocles above the Bank and Fund emblazoned with three words: back to basics. October’s Annual Meetings will give the institutions a chance to show they’ve grabbed that sword to wield for institutional streamlining that readies them to face the issues of the day.