AKIPRESS.COM - On June 17, 2016, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the second review of the Kyrgyz Republic’s economic performance under the three-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, IMF said in a release on June 17. 

The Board’s approval enables the immediate disbursement of SDR 9.514 million (about US$13.4 million). This would bring total disbursements under the arrangement to SDR 28.542 million (about US$40.3 million). The ECF arrangement for SDR 66.6 million (about US$92.4 million) was approved on April 8, 2015 (see Press Release No. 15/165).

Following the Executive Board discussion Mr. Mitsuhiro Furusawa, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, made the following statement:

“The Kyrgyz authorities have been able to maintain their Fund-supported program broadly on track despite persistent external shocks, including lower commodity prices as well as weaker growth and currencies in trading partners. Growth is slowing down, external borrowing is raising debt levels, and exchange rate depreciation is increasing debt and financial sector vulnerabilities. The challenging near-term outlook and high vulnerabilities call for a decisive implementation of prudent macroeconomic policies and structural reforms.

“The authorities’ commitment to resume fiscal consolidation in 2016 is welcome. Steadfast implementation of permanent measures to boost tax revenues, reduce the wage bill, streamline nonpriority spending, preserve much-needed social spending, and improve the public investment framework is critical to rebuilding buffers and ensuring that debt returns to more sustainable levels.

“The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic’s (NBKR) flexible exchange rate policy has served the economy well by acting as a shock absorber. Going forward, the NBKR should continue to focus on containing inflation within the target range and maintaining a flexible exchange rate policy to preserve competitiveness.

“Swift enactment of the Banking Law, in a form substantially similar to the draft submitted to Parliament in September 2013, is crucial to preserve financial sector stability in the current weak economic environment. Once adopted, the Law will strengthen the independence of the central bank, allow better protection of depositors’ rights, and introduce a modern bank resolution mechanism. Moreover, to enhance confidence in the banking system, it is necessary to promptly liquidate bankrupt banks under the Debt Resolution Agency’s management.

“Accelerating structural reforms to nhance broad-based growth, strengthen governance, reduce corruption, and maximize benefits from the Eurasian Economic Union is also critical.”