DEVELOPMENT 79
The IMF— with its 188 member countries, and 70-year track record of promoting global economic cooperation and stability— understands well the need for, and power of, collective action.
Indeed, the Fund is not only promising action— we are also delivering. In our policy advice, in our research, and our capacity building, we have included social and environmental dimensions that were not there, and we will continue doing so.
We are also expanding our support for developing countries in several ways:
• One: the poorest countries can now borrow 50 percent more from our interest free facilities;
• Two: we are strengthening our technical support to help countries boost domestic revenue mobilization to finance development spending; we are doing that together with the World Bank; and
• Three: we are intensifying our support for fragile and conflict-afflicted states. Importantly, we are maintaining, for the longer term, the zero interest rate on our Rapid Credit Facility loans.
The IMF is working with its member countries and international partners in the spirit of global cooperation necessary to achieve the SDGs. We have done so, we are doing so, and we will continue to do so.
Conclusion
The esteemed second Secretary- General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld, once said:
“ We are not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny. But what we put into it is ours.”
Likewise, the year 2030— the SDGs target date— will one day be upon us, but what it will look like is in our hands.
Thank you.