Interview with Rodrigo de Rato. The Wise Advice of the FMI

In an exclusive interview with Babette Stern, the new managing director of the IMF looks back on his first six months at the helm of this illustrious institution. Brushing aside the accusations of arrogance & conceptual rigidity frequently levied against the IMF in the 1990s, Rodrigo de Rato prefers to focus on the future. The theory that macroeconomic stability is essential to growth -- consistently defended by IMF experts -- has been borne out by the facts. In retrospect, the IMF's recommendations have always proved judicious. Its role, Mr. Rato explains, is to evaluate the strengths & weaknesses of individual countries & orient them towards the best adapted solutions. At the same time, the financial crises of recent years have served as a lesson. The IMF is currently in the process of a major strategic review that will shortly spawn concrete proposals aimed at making it more transparent & improving the way it operates. Adapted from the source document.