SINGAPORE, May 17, 2025 – The 9th Joint Regional Financing Arrangements (RFAs) Research Seminar took place today in Medellín, Colombia. This one-day hybrid event is co-organized by the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), and the Latin American Reserve Fund (FLAR).

This year’s seminar centered on the multifaceted impact of climate change on macroeconomic and financial stability. The event opened with a presentation on the evolving roles of RFAs and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in addressing climate risks. This set the stage for three technical sessions dedicated to:

  • The macroeconomic implications of climate change;
  • Financial system vulnerabilities and resilience; and
  • The impact of climate change on public finances and sovereign credit risk.

 

The seminar concluded with a policy roundtable where experts discussed tools to address macroeconomic and financial stability risks stemming from climate change, strategies to boost economic and financial resilience, and the importance of international cooperation in advancing the climate agenda.

Since its inception in 2017, the Joint RFA Research Seminar has served as a unique platform for RFAs, central banks, finance ministries, international financial institutions, and academia experts to engage on policy issues of relevance to RFAs’ operations.

The RFAs will next convene at the 10th RFA High-Level Dialogue in October 2025, to be held in Washington, D.C. alongside 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.