IMF chief gets board's support after data-rigging claim review

WASHINGTON • The executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed its full confidence in managing director Kristalina Georgieva after reviewing allegations that she pressured World Bank staff to alter data to favour China.

But US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen put Ms Georgieva on notice that she would monitor the IMF's follow-up and evaluate any new facts or findings. She also called for proactive steps to reinforce data integrity and credibility at the IMF.

The fund's 24-member board and US Treasury issued separate lengthy statements on Monday, after a week of marathon meetings over Ms Georgieva's actions as World Bank CEO that threw into question her continued leadership of the IMF.

Ms Georgieva, a Bulgarian economist and the first person from a developing country to head the fund, vehemently denies the claims. She welcomed the board's endorsement in a separate statement of her own and said she was pleased its members had agreed the allegations against her were unfounded.

"This has obviously been a difficult episode for me personally," she said. "However, I want to express my unyielding support for the independence and integrity of institutions such as the World Bank and IMF; and my respect for all those committed to protecting the values on which these organisations are founded."

Ms Georgieva had won the support of France and other European governments last week, but US and Japanese officials pushed for a more thorough review of the allegations, according to sources briefed on the matter.

At issue was a damning report prepared by the law firm WilmerHale for the World Bank's board about data irregularities in the bank's now-cancelled "Doing Business" report. The firm's report alleged that Ms Georgieva and other senior officials applied "undue pressure" on bank staff to make changes to boost China's ranking in the report, just as the bank was seeking Beijing's support for a major capital increase.

Ms Georgieva denies the claims, which date back to 2017, when she was the World Bank's chief executive. She became the IMF's managing director in October 2019.

The board said the information presented during its review - which included meetings with WilmerHale attorneys and Ms Georgieva - did not conclusively show that she played an improper role in the Doing Business report.

European governments had sought a speedy resolution of the matter ahead of this week's annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank, where Ms Georgieva and World Bank president David Malpass are leading discussions on the global recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, debt relief and efforts to speed vaccinations.

Ms Yellen spoke with Ms Georgieva on Monday about the "serious issues" in the probe and underscored her commitment to "preserve the integrity and credibility of the World Bank and the IMF", the Treasury said.

REUTERS