Austria and the IMF Renew Agreement on the Joint Vienna Institute

During the past three decades, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Austria have collaborated to provide through the Joint Vienna Institute (JVI) high quality training on macroeconomic management to public officials in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. I am very happy to report that this very successful partnership has been extended for another four years by Austrian Finance Minister Brunner, Oesterreichische Nationalbank’s Governor Holzmann and Vice Governor Haber, and IMF Managing Director Georgieva.

As highlighted by IMF Managing Director Georgieva at the signing ceremony for the extended agreement on April 23, this “partnership in the JVI is a concrete statement about the importance that both Austria and the IMF place in capacity development, policy-oriented training, and building regional networks in emerging Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. In the current challenging circumstances, building strong and resilient institutions, and investing in the policymakers of today and tomorrow has never been more important. The IMF is extremely grateful for Austria’s unwavering support to the JVI and all it delivers in the region.” Finance Minister Brunner stressed that “strengthening the capacity of economic institutions contributes not only to more effective economic and financial policies but encourages the development of stable and sustainable economic conditions. Through JVI training of public sector officials, which is continuously adapted to the needs in the region, Austria is continuing its bridge building function.” Governor Holzmann added that “for 30 years, the JVI has promoted sound evidence-based policy-making in the region and fostered peer-to-peer exchange amongst central bankers and public officials. The current challenges make personal exchanges around key policy questions even more necessary.”

We are extremely grateful to our Austrian and IMF partners for providing steady intellectual and financial support to the JVI over many years. We look forward to continuing working closely with them and the JVI’s other partners in the coming years to help address the capacity building needs of the countries of the JVI region.

Hervé Joly, Director, Joint Vienna Institute