Ex-Jonathan Minister, Okonjo-Iweala Gets IMF Appointment

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has named Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a former Minister of Finance under President Goodluck Jonathan‘s administration as a member of its External Advisory Group.

Naija News reports that Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment into the 12-member team was announced on Friday in a statement IMF’s Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva.

The statement said the new group will provide perspectives from around the globe on key developments and policy issues, including policy responses to the exceptional challenges the world now faces due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and its economic impact.

According to the statement, “Even before the spread of COVID-19 and the dramatic health, economic, and financial disruptions it has brought, IMF members confronted a rapidly evolving world and complex policy issues,” Ms Georgieva said.

“To serve our membership well in this context, we need top-notch input and expertise from the widest range of sources, inside and outside the Fund.

“Toward this end, I am proud that an exceptional and diverse group of eminent individuals with high-level policy, market, and private sector experience has agreed to serve on my External Advisory Group.

“Today we had a dynamic discussion to gain their insights, and to receive informal reactions to our ideas and approaches,” she added.

This online news platform understands that the advisory group is expected to meet a few times in a year with the IMF’s Managing Director, Deputy Managing Directors, and a sub-set of IMF department Directors.

See the list of the Managing Director’s External Advisory Group below…

1. Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Finance Minister of Nigeria

2. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister of Singapore and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore

3. Ms Kristin Forbes, Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

4. Mr Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia

5. Lord Mark Malloch Brown, former United Nations Deputy Secretary-General

6. Mr Feike Sijbesima, Honorary Chair, DSM, Former CEO, Royal DSM

7. Mr Raghuram Rajan, Professor, University of Chicago Ms Ana Botín, Group Executive Chairman, Santander

8. Ms Carmen Reinhart, Professor, Harvard University

9. Mr Mohamed A. El-Erian, Chief Economic Adviser, Allianz

10. Mr Scott Minerd, Chief Investment Officer, Guggenheim Investments

11. Ms Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Chair of ActionAid International.