
The coronavirus pandemic has driven the global economy into a downturn that will require massive funding to help developing nations, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday.

The World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund have issued the following joint statement to the G20 concerning debt relief for the poorest countries:

Argentina does not plan to resume debt payments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for five years, buying time to pull the economy out of a worsening recession after the coronavirus outbreak led the government to impose a stay-at-home order until the end of March which also put the brakes- on activity

At the request of the Argentine authorities and reflecting close collaboration with them, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released on Friday a technical note prepared by IMF staff on Argentina’s public debt sustainability.

Argentina’s economy ministry said on Thursday it had exchanged around 257 billion pesos (US$ 4 billion) in a debt swap for new instruments maturing between 2021-2024, as the government looks to restructure its debt amid a credit crunch.

The International Monetary Fund has quickly rejected a surprise request on Tuesday by Venezuela for an emergency US$ 5 billion loan to fight the new coronavirus, which threatens to push its already battered economy over the edge.

By Kristina Georgieva (*) – While quarantining and social distancing is the right prescription to combat COVID-19’s public health impact, the exact opposite is needed when it comes to securing the global economy.

Guyana’s top court on Sunday upheld an injunction blocking the elections commission from proclaiming a winner in this month’s presidential election, delaying the results of a vote that has been marred by accusations of fraud.

An International Monetary Fund team currently in Argentina has held “productive” talks with local officials, a spokesman said on Thursday, though there was little detail on concrete progress about reaching a deal over the country’s debt crisis.

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva on Wednesday called for an all-out, “no regrets” response to the new coronavirus epidemic which poses a “serious threat” to the global economy.