The Macro-Fiscal Impacts of Post-Disaster IMF Financing: Evidence from a Synthetic Control Approach

The IMF provides macro-stabilizing liquidity when others cannot. The IMF has developed a set of instruments designed to provide rapid financial assistance to countries facing urgent balance of payments needs without requiring a full-fledged economic program, triggered by exogenous natural disasters shocks. We evaluate the impact of IMF emergency financing after natural disaster using a synthetic control method. The results show that IMF post-disaster financing supports a faster GDP recovery, with an implied average IMF post-disaster multiplier larger than 1. The findings suggest strong liquidity and catalytic effects, enabling countercyclical fiscal responses. However, the resulting increase in public debt underscores the need for credible medium-term fiscal plans and post-disaster consolidation to maintain debt sustainability.