Latest articles from Viewpoint

Mapping out a new role for the G-7

October 28, 2009

James Flaherty, finance minister of Canada

With the rise of the G-20, some commentators have written off the G-7. Canada's finance minister James Flaherty dismisses this idea. He spoke to Brian Caplen at the IMF/World Bank meetings last month.

Muted crisis impact has Bahrain thinking ahead

October 5, 2009

H E Rasheed Al-Maraj, Governor, Central Bank of Bahrain

The malaise that has hit the world's economies has left Bahrain relatively unscathed, leaving the country to concentrate on its Islamic finance offerings.

Making sense of a complex system

September 2, 2009

Ian Hurst, general manager for the global financial services sector, IBM

Technology can only go so far in helping to explain and predict global systemic risk. However, financial services firms must still be able to adapt to the changing environment and their customers' demands.

How will the world look when the dust settles?

August 4, 2009

Paul Volcker, former chairman of the US Federal Reserve and chairman the US's economic recovery advisory board

The order in which the world will emerge, post-recession, may still be unclear, writes Paul Volker, but a long slog can be expected. However, when the dust settles, there will still be few competitors to challenge the US dollar as the world's predominant currency.

Making Africa's voice heard

July 7, 2009

Donald Kaberuka, President, African Development Bank
The severe impact of the global downturn on emerging economies in Africa is often ignored by the West but the African Development Bank is working hard to preserve growth across the continent.

Local banks should fill the finance gap

June 4, 2009

Nanno Kleiterp, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board, FMO (Netherlands Development Finance Company)
Development finance institutions can help companies in emerging markets overcome the short-term crisis created by global banking groups' lack of credit, but local banks must pick up the gauntlet in the long term.

Remaining steadfast in a challenging environment

May 5, 2009

Multilateral support has surged in importance in central and eastern Europe as the era of excess leverage unwinds. However, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will stay true to its principles.
Thomas Mirow, President of EBRD

Four key priorities for the G-20 Summit

April 7, 2009

Multilateral cross-border solutions to create international policy co-ordination are essential for the effective protection of the global financial system

Partnership married with pragmatism

March 10, 2009

The president of the Inter-American Development Bank explains how it will be working to help Latin American and Caribbean countries to help themselves in 2009.

Multilateralism, intervention and governance

February 2, 2009

The former UK prime minister turned international envoy talks about his latest initiatives for improving African governance. Interview by Peter Guest.

The Banker on Twitter