SINGAPORE, May 16, 2024 – The 8th Joint Regional Financing Arrangements (RFAs) Research Seminar starts today in Luxembourg.  The two-day hybrid seminar will examine the economic and financial risks associated with global fragmentation. This event is organized jointly by the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), and Latin American Reserve Fund (FLAR).

This year’s seminar comprises three sessions, exploring the following topics: (i) tools and methodologies for effectively measuring and detecting fragmentation risks; (ii) the regional impact of geopolitics on trade, supply chains, and economic stability; and (iii) financial implications of fragmentation in terms of capital flows, sovereign funding costs, and debt challenges.

This will be followed by a policy roundtable, where the participants will discuss strategies, policies, and the role of global cooperation in mitigating risks posed by fragmentation.

The three co-organizing institutions launched this series of research seminars in 2017. This annual event offers the RFAs a platform to exchange views with each other and academics, policymakers, economists from central banks and finance ministries, as well as representatives from international financial institutions on issues relevant to RFAs’ operations.

The next opportunity for the RFAs to meet will be the 9th RFA High-level Dialogue in October 2024 in Washington DC on the occasion of the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings.

 

About AMRO

The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) is an international organization established to contribute toward securing macroeconomic and financial resilience and stability of the ASEAN+3 region, comprising 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China; Hong Kong, China; Japan; and Korea. AMRO’s mandate is to conduct macroeconomic surveillance, support regional financial arrangements, and provide technical assistance to the members. In addition, AMRO also serves as a regional knowledge hub and provides support to ASEAN+3 financial cooperation.