In this Podcast, we speak with Raghu Rajan, India's central bank governor about the Global Financial Safety Net. Rajan is charged with securing monetary stability in one of the world's largest Emerging Market economies, at a time when others are stumbling in the face of difficult global economic trends. Rajan participated in a seminar entitled Fortifying the Global Financial Safety Net, during the IMF-World Bank Spring meetings.

Contributors: Raghuram Rajan, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India

The new World Economic Outlook anticipates a slight acceleration in growth this year, from 3.1 to 3.2 percent, followed by 3.5 percent growth in 2017. But IMF Chief Economist Maurice Obstfeld says projections continue to be progressively less optimistic over time.

Contributors:

Maurice Obstfeld, IMF Chief Economic Counselor

While many economists would argue public investment projects in highly efficient countries have a greater impact on growth, recent research by some IMF economists shows that’s not necessarily the case. In this podcast we speak with the IMF’s Andy Berg, who suggests the impact on growth from public investment spending is similar in both high and low-efficiency countries.

Contributors:

Andy Berg, a Deputy Director in the IMF’s Institute for Capacity Development

Dans son dernier bilan, le FMI signale que l’économie gabonaise a été durement touchée par la chute des cours du pétrole. Dans ce podcast, nous nous entretenons avec Montfort Mlachila, chef de mission du FMI pour le Gabon. Il souligne que le pays peut accroître sa résilience et redynamiser la croissance en diversifiant son économie.

Montfort Mlachila, Chef de mission du FMI pour le Gabon.

The IMF’s most recent review of Gabon’s economy shows it’s been hit hard by the oil price decline. In this podcast, we speak with IMF Mission Chief for Gabon, Montfort Mlachila, who says the country can build resilience and revive growth by diversifying its economy.

Contributors:

Montfort Mlachila, IMF Mission Chief for Gabon

While it was widely expected that globalization would reduce inequality, income disparities between skilled and unskilled workers has only increased in recent years. In this podcast we ask Nobel Laureate Eric Maskin, why the global markets haven’t offered better economic opportunities for the world’s poorest.

Contributors:

Eric Maskin, Professor at Harvard University, and 2007 Nobel Laureate.

On this International Woman’s Day, we speak with Nigerian economist Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Best known for her two terms as Nigeria’s Finance Minister and for her work as a Managing Director at the World Bank, Dr. Okonjo Iweala is always looking for ways to help bridge the gender gap.

Contributors:

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,

More than a million migrants have entered Europe this year according to the International Organization for Migration. In this podcast, we speak with Professor Barry Chiswick who says language acquisition is key to immigrant success. Chiswick says language skills among immigrants are a form of human capital, and can substantially increase potential earnings.

Contributors:

Barry Chiswick, Professor of Economics and International Affairs at George Washington University

While many economies around the world should benefit from a growing US economy, a strong US dollar is seldom good news for emerging markets. In this podcast, we talk to IMF Senior Economist Nicolas Magud, coauthor of an article entitled Collateral Damage, published in the December 2015 issue of Finance and Development magazine.

The fabled mountain Kingdom of Lesotho achieved strong growth in recent years, but the IMF's latest economic review shows growth rates have dropped. In this podcast, IMF mission chief for Lesotho, David Dunn, says slower growth in neighboring South Africa has significantly reduced Lesotho's government revenues.