IMF / LAGARDE CURTAIN RAISER SPEECH

ID
506818
DESCRIPTION
2. Wide shot, Lagarde at the podium
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director:
“Policymakers cannot afford to stand still, and that is also the story of the global economy. The world at the moment is going through a really strong upswing. We at the IMF have been calling on all governments to use the current growth momentum for much needed policy actions and reforms, particularly in the labor market and in the service market. Public debt, in advanced economies is at levels that we have not seen since the Second World War. The sun is shining, we need to fix the roof. Because we need to take the current window of opportunity to prepare for the challenge ahead. And that is about creating more room to act when the next downturn inevitably comes. So, the bottom line is that digital government can actually deliver public services more efficiently, more effectively and actually help people’s life. I’ve often lauded the virtues of courage, but I believe in the present circumstances it’s a combination of collaborative courage, collective determination to actually transform our economies so that economic underlying factors do not come to exacerbate differences, hamper diversity that we so badly need in this world. I thank you very much.”
11. Wide shot of auditorium
SHOTLIST
2. Wide shot, Lagarde at the podium
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director:
“Policymakers cannot afford to stand still, and that is also the story of the global economy. The world at the moment is going through a really strong upswing. We at the IMF have been calling on all governments to use the current growth momentum for much needed policy actions and reforms, particularly in the labor market and in the service market. Public debt, in advanced economies is at levels that we have not seen since the Second World War. The sun is shining, we need to fix the roof. Because we need to take the current window of opportunity to prepare for the challenge ahead. And that is about creating more room to act when the next downturn inevitably comes. So, the bottom line is that digital government can actually deliver public services more efficiently, more effectively and actually help people’s life. I’ve often lauded the virtues of courage, but I believe in the present circumstances it’s a combination of collaborative courage, collective determination to actually transform our economies so that economic underlying factors do not come to exacerbate differences, hamper diversity that we so badly need in this world. I thank you very much.”
11. Wide shot of auditorium
USAGE RIGHTS/RESTRICTIONS
CONTACTS
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Brian WalkerMedia Relations OfficerUnited Statesbwalker@IMF.org+(1) 202.623.7381+(1) 202.286.5839