The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that global economic fragmentation as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will leave the world poorer and more dangerous.
IMF Has Issued A Warning About The Potential For Global Economic Fragmentation As A Result Of The Ukraine War!!
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva urged states to decrease trade barriers to alleviate shortages and lower prices after more than 30 countries restricted trade in food, energy, and other key commodities.
Ms. Georgieva made the comments in a blog post alongside the Fund’s first deputy managing director, Gita Gopinath, and Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, head of the strategy, policy, and review, ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week.
Countries should diversify their imports to protect supply chains and reduce output losses due to disruptions, according to experts.
The officials also suggested that the G20’s shared framework for dealing with debt restructuring be improved in order to better deal with vulnerabilities.
They concluded, “The costs of future country fragmentation would be significant.”
“And people from all walks of life would be damaged, from highly paid professionals and middle-income industrial employees who export to low-paid workers who rely on food imports to survive; more people would risk their lives in search of possibilities overseas.”
The outcomes of a simulation of what an accelerated globalization reversal would look like in the long run point to a substantially poorer and less productive world, with trade returning to levels seen before China joined the WTO. Another setback: inflation would very certainly be greater and more erratic.
Cross-border payment systems should be upgraded, according to International Monetary Fund(IMF) experts, with countries working to develop a public digital platform for handling remittances to reduce costs and improve security. They also stated that countries must work together to combat climate change.
Further, aside from the misery and humanitarian crises caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the global economy will suffer from slower development and higher inflation.
Three primary channels will carry the effects.
One, increased costs for commodities such as food and energy would drive inflation higher, diminishing the value of incomes and putting downward pressure on demand.
Two, bordering economies will face disruptions in commerce, supply chains, and remittances, as well as an unprecedented increase in refugee movements.
Finally, reduced investor confidence and lower company confidence will put downward pressure on asset values, tightening financial conditions and potentially generating capital outflows from emerging markets.
Because Russia and Ukraine are major commodity producers, the disruptions have pushed up global prices, especially for oil and natural gas. Food costs have risen dramatically, with Ukraine and Russia accounting for 30% of world wheat exports.
Should energy commerce move, supply chains rearrange, payment networks divide, and governments reassess reserve currency holdings, the battle might radically upset the global economic and geopolitical order in the long run. Increased geopolitical tensions increase the dangers of economic fragmentation, particularly in trade and technology.
The consequences of Russia’s war on Ukraine have already shaken not only those countries, but the region and the world as a whole, stressing the importance of a global safety net and regional agreements to protect economies.
