* Gordhan says U.S. moves contrary to G20 pledge
* Developing states will be forced to take mitigating steps
* Says inflow of dollars will devastate EM exports
(Adds analyst comment, background)
By Stella Mapenzauswa
JOHANNESBURG, Nov 5 (Reuters) - The United States' decision to launch a second round of monetary easing was made without consideration for its negative impact on other countries, South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Friday.
Signalling a tougher stance from South Africa, which has urged countries to refrain from weakening their currencies and undermining economies global, Gordhan said the move would force developing states to "take more steps to mitigate the impact of the increased flows into their financial markets".
"Developing countries, including South Africa, will bear the brunt of the U.S. decision to open its flood gates without due consideration of the consequences for other nations," he said in a statement.
"The decision undermines the spirit of multilateral cooperation that G20 leaders have fought so hard to maintain during the current crisis. It also runs contrary to the spirit in which G20 Finance Ministers and central bank governors met recently in South Korea."
Gordhan urged nations to find "the right balance between measures aimed at protecting national interests and globally coordinated policies".
The
The currency's gains this week were triggered by the Federal Reserve's decision on Wednesday to buy more government debt to help stimulate the ailing U.S. economy. [ID:nnN03290614]
Gordhan said most of the $600 billion the Fed would pump into the U.S. economy would find its way into the financial markets of emerging market countries, strengthening their currencies "with devastating consequences for exports from developing countries".
Emerging market currencies, including the rand, have soared in value as investors faced with minimal interest rates in crisis-hit developed economies seek higher returns elsewhere.
In its medium term budget statement last week, the Treasury said Africa's biggest economy had few options to devalue the rand in the face of increased capital inflows.
MORE FUNDS TO BUY RESERVES
Gordhan also told a media briefing at that time the government would give further funds to the central bank for reserves accumulation. [ID:nLDE69Q1Q1]
Data on Friday showed South Africa's net reserves rose more than expected to $43.112 billion at the end of October from $40.854 billion in September, pointing to more aggressive intervention in the market by the central bank.
The Treasury has also said it will further relax exchange controls, with individuals allowed to take more money abroad.
But South Africa had yet to move decisively to implement most of the options spelt out in the budget statement, said Nomura International analyst Peter Attard Montalto.
"They should hurry up and do that, particularly on the capital control front, the earlier the better," he told Reuters.
"I continue to think we see more (in the main budget speech) in February as the government will not be happy with the rand still roughly where it is now." (Editing by Jon Herskovitz and Ron Askew)