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 .