Christine Lagarde Resigns As IMF Chief
Washington: Following Christine Lagarde’s formal resignation from IMF, the Fund’s Executive Board has said it will initiate promptly the process of selecting the next Managing Director. Christine Lagarde on Tuesday announced that she formally submitted her resignation from the IMF position with effect from September 12, 2019, Xinhua reported. Two weeks ago, Lagarde was nominated for the presidency of the European Central Bank (ECB), as part of the European Union (EU) leaders’ agreement on the future leadership of top EU institutions. She then decided to temporarily step down from the IMF leadership during the nomination period. “With greater clarity now on the process for my nomination as ECB President and the time it will take, I have made this decision in the best interest of the Fund, as it will expedite the selection process for my successor,” Lagarde said in a statement released Tuesday. “Today the IMF Executive Board accepted Managing Director Christine Lagarde’s resignation from the Fund with effect from September 12, 2019,” the Executive Board said in a statement.
“Under her guidance, the Fund successfully helped its members navigate a complex and unprecedented set of challenges, including the impact of the global financial crisis and its aftershocks,” the statement continued. “With this decision by Managing Director Lagarde, the IMF Executive Board will initiate promptly the process of selecting the next Managing Director and will communicate in a timely fashion,” the Executive Board said.
The position of IMF chief has always been held by Europeans while the head of the World Bank has traditionally been American. (IANS)