In short, the new chair 🪑for SSA in the #IMF Executive Board should be a reason for celebration 🥂🎉. It is a step in the right direction, but more work is required—from the Fund, but also from the new ED and their office to ensure they make the most of this opportunity.

The SSA chair should help the V20 mobilize resources, coordinate action, and make their voice heard in policies related to climate change—which is also in the interest of the IMF to be a legitimate actor in climate, finance, and development.

Now the 25th chair is especially relevant for climate action 🌎🔥. In @Global_Policy, @LaraMerling and I study the voice of 68 climate-vulnerable countries: https://t.co/iPJlaoSswG These states—the V20 (@TheCVF)—command merely 6.7% of votes and are spread across 12 EB chairs.

As I show in @IAJournal_CH: https://t.co/ZrW07rlpSe Representatives are not just delegates, extended arms of the state. Some state reps can speak relatively independently—they may wield outsize influence when they also have relevant expertise, social and negotiation skills.

To date, the 190 members of the IMF are represented by 24 Executive Directors. Now a 25th chair🪑 is added, dedicated to SSA 🌍. Votes are unequally distributed and remain unchanged (for now), but the Fund has a long tradition of consensus-based decision-making.

On the last day of the upcoming @IMFNews & @WorldBank #AnnualMeetings, an event celebrates 🥳 ‘greater sub-Saharan African voice on the IMF Executive Board’—the EB adds a 25th chair dedicated to SSA. A short 🧵 on why this matters.

Can @IMFNews implement an ambitious + effective climate policy? @LaraMerling + @TimonForster argue in a new @Global_Policy journal article that this is unlikely without meaningful governance reform to increase voice + representation. Read more: https://t.co/rywK6yGfW5

In our last article, @LaraMerling & @TimonForster that the #IMF has taken steps to incorporate #ClimatePolicy into its operations, but the decision-making process remains dominated by the Global North and major emitters. https://t.co/E9NqfNABOE

New RIO/@The_PEIO article! First to map news media visibility of 40 int. orgs. – @UN 🇺🇳 @WorldBank @IMFNews @WHO @wto and many others - across 135 states (96% of 🌍 population). Two key empirical and theoretical findings: [thread 1/7] Open access at https://t.co/Qa8y1r86OL

"International organizations and research methods" (@UofMPress) by @FannyBadache, @leahkimber & @LucileMaertens 🥳 Find my review of this excellent book in the latest issue of @IAJournal_CH: https://t.co/1wpGWVcVvS A must-read for scholars 👩🏾‍🏫, students 🧑🏽‍🎓, and staff of IOs 👩‍💼!

Super excited to see my paper with @AllieCarnegie & @KayaOrloff published online @The_JOP. We explore whether and how populist governments engage with IOs. We show that while they bash IOs publicly, populists often engage constructively behind-the-scenes

Global climate financing can support a green transition in the Global South. Is it enough? @bhbradlow & I point to its limits if not joined by technology transfers from the Global North. There is both legal precedent & a moral imperative for this. Free: https://t.co/NIIKjkfUYv

Individuals matter in international organizations even when policies have backing by member states and leadership! We show in new @apsrjournal article that women are less likely to engage in box ticking on World Bank gender mainstreaming (1/4) https://t.co/9EJUvIzA4V

I am happy this came out @The_PEIO. The paper shows how labour and global financial interests are at odds with one another in the process of globalization. It is open access and can be read at: https://t.co/zHGMlAXP50

Two fabulous #ecprjs24 days in Lüneburg, unpacking linkages between IOs' internal and external challenges - thank you @rodabouharb @parizek_m @DostDostal @ajetsch @sostapel @bmangitli @StefanFHee @Zaccaria_GF @TimonForster @SMetinsoy @ClaraEgger1 @b_reinsberg and X-less folks.

A huge thanks to all interviewees, to the @IAJournal_CH editor and reviewers, and to numerous colleagues who commented on earlier drafts! I am also grateful for funding by @scriptsberlin, @GDP_Center, and @HSGStGallen. Keep an eye out for more work on IMF decision-making 👀

In the IMF, delegates representing borrowers are more likely to become respected individuals due to their potential independence. My work thus speaks to the power of the weak, see also the recent special issue in @The_PEIO ( https://t.co/wE3To40Egg)

Based on these interviews, I theorize "respected individuals": state reps who can wield outsize influence if they a) are perceived as relatively autonomous; and b) have the relevant expertise, social skills and deliberative craft🗣️

So far, state reps are merely treated as extended arms of their states and not treated as a distinct type of actor. To fill this gap, I have conducted interviews with IMF Executive Board members, who represent a single or multiple countries.

This is Alexandre Kafka. He spent 32 years on the IMF Executive Board, representing Brazil and 8 other states. Kafka's been very influential during his time—even though he only commanded ~2.6% of votes. 🤔When can state reps wield such outsize influence in international orgs?