The World Bank/International Monetary Fund
Annual Meetings 1997

The 1997 World Bank Group/International Monetary Fund Annual
Meetings (the Meetings) were held in the Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Centre from September 23 to 25.

The Meetings were generally regarded as a great success, as reported
widely in both overseas and local media and as evident from views
expressed by the participants. They demonstrated Hong Kong's ability to
organise a very complex event while meeting all the requirements of the
two organisations. Hong Kong's hi-tech image was demonstrated through
the provision of video walls, bar-coded access badges to improve security
control and an electronic message system to facilitate communication
among delegates. The World Bank Group and the International Monetary
Fund were very satisfied with the arrangements. The 1997 Meetings set
records for the number of participants registered and the coverage of
topics discussed at meetings or seminars. A total of 19 500 participants
registered and more than 200 formal meetings were held.

With the presence of about 300 Finance Ministers and Central Bank
Governors from some 180 member countries as well as other influential
opinion-formers of the world in town, the Meetings provided a valuable
opportunity for Hong Kong to showcase its continued prosperity and
stability under the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle.

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