The annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group began on Monday in Washington, DC, attracting prominent figures from the public and private sectors, as well as representatives from civil society and academia.
Set against a backdrop of economic challenges and uncertainties, the meetings provide a platform to discuss issues such as inflation, debt, technological revolution, and climate change.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in her opening remarks that “international cooperation and strengthening trust are essential to prevent a ‘new fracture’ in the global economy.”
Expressing concern about a world that is “fragmented and distrustful, where national security has become the primary concern for many countries,” Georgieva urged member states to work together “in these troubled times.”
The agenda includes meetings and roundtables on a range of topics focusing on ways to address the aftermath of crises, the importance of rebuilding the political space, and the need to preserve integration to foster trade and effective cooperation. Discussions throughout the week will include food economy dynamics, sustainable development, and global financial markets. The conference will also feature the release of several reports on the current state and prospects of the global economy.
IMF-WB annual meetings are held in Washington every two out of three years, with the third year taking place in a member country of the Bretton Woods institutions.
In 2023, the two monetary institutions held their annual meetings in Marrakech. Representatives from 189 delegations, including finance and development ministers, senior officials from both financial institutions, central bank governors, parliamentarians, private sector leaders, as well as civil society representatives and academics attended the meetings.