Sovereign Wealth Funds : New Economic Realities and the Political Responses

From a global perspective, sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) and their investments are one facet of a new phase of globalization, which is about ownership of assets globally and a new quality in terms of the participation of emerging markets in the global economy. This is a positive and highly welcome development. The growing international investments by emerging markets are likely ta help them achieve a more established role in world finance which is more commensurate with their importance in the global economy. This calls for early and coordinated policy approaches. The IMF' s coordinating strategy on SWF transparency and governance is a very positive example of how a swift and targeted policy response brought emerging markets ta the negotiating table, actually making them the drivers of the process. JEL Classification : F30, G29Kern Steffen. Sovereign Wealth Funds : New Economic Realities and the Political Responses . In: Revue d'économie financière (English ed.). Hors-série, 2009. Sovereign wealth funds : Special Issue 2009. pp. 255-269