What role did France play in the development of the International Monetary Fund's Special Drawing Rights (SDR)?

France played a significant role in the development of the International Monetary Fund's Special Drawing Rights (SDR), which were created in 1969 to supplement the existing reserves of member countries. The idea for the SDR was first proposed by French economist and government advisor Jacques Rueff in the 1960s, and was championed by then-French Finance Minister Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.

France saw the SDR as a way to reduce the reliance on the US dollar as the world's dominant reserve currency, which was seen as a potential vulnerability in the event of a US balance of payments crisis. The SDR would provide an alternative reserve asset that would be less vulnerable to fluctuations in the value of any one country's currency, and could act as a stabilizing force in the global financial system.

France's influence was instrumental in getting the SDR proposal adopted by the IMF's Board of Governors, and in establishing the rules and procedures for the allocation and use of SDRs. Today, the SDR is still an important component of the international monetary system, and is used by member countries to supplement their official reserves and settle transactions with each other and the IMF.