2024 Review Of The Fund’s Transparency Policy And Open Archives Policy—Background Paper 2 On Consultations With Executive Directors, Country Authorities, Mission Chiefs, And Civil Society Organizations

Executive Directors, Country Authorities, Mission Chiefs. Stakeholders strongly support the principles underpinning the Transparency Policy and generally see the rules-based approach of the policy as adequately protecting staff candor and independence, as well as confidential information. Still, a significant share of Executive Directors (EDs) see room to improve the balance across the different principles that the policy achieves in practice. Most EDs, and some IMF Mission Chiefs (MCs), would prefer greater flexibility in modifying Board documents before publication, and consultations suggest that both see some scope in allowing more room in modifying the authorities’ views. On publication timing of Board documents, the majority of stakeholders perceive the current publication timing as adequate. However, both MCs and country authorities see scope for prompter publication of press releases (PRs). Concerns over the evenhanded application of the policy’s modification rules have somewhat abated since the last policy review, although perceptions of uneven application remain among some EDs. Stakeholders agree that the existing policies governing public access to Fund’s archives have been successful in promoting transparency, although point out that earlier access would not affect candor.