The United Arab Emirates, represented by the Ministry of Finance, announced its participation in the 2024 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) taking place in Washington D.C., from 15th to 20th April 2024.
Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, will head the UAE delegation, which includes Ali Abdullah Sharafi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for International Financial Relations, Hamad Essa Al Zaabi, Director of the Office of Minister of State for Financial Affairs, Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi, Director of International Financial Relations and Organisations at the Ministry of Finance, and several specialists from the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of the UAE.
On the sidelines of the Spring Meetings, Mohamed Al Hussaini will participate in the second G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting led under the Brazilian presidency for the year 2024, and will deliver a keynote at the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) plenary, and chair the joint WBG-IMF Development Committee plenary.
The Minister will also meet with the IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and other participating finance ministers, central bank governors, and heads of regional financial institutions of the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (MENAP) region.
On the UAE’s participation in the upcoming Spring Meetings, Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini emphasised the importance of further global collaboration to establish effective and sustainable solutions for all developmental needs. He also emphasised the critical role of the Spring Meetings of the IMF and WBG as a platform to facilitate extensive dialogue among a wide range of key stakeholders.
He said, “The UAE Ministry of Finance will aim to advance discussions on macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, as well as address the ripple effects of geopolitical challenges on global trade and medium-term growth prospects. In the context of the current landscape, it will be vital to strengthen multilateral efforts to accelerate sustainable development and push the world towards an inclusive and resilient path.”
The Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group will bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organisations and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.
The meetings will also feature seminars, regional briefings, press conferences, and other events focused on the global economy, international development, and the world’s financial system.
The main ministerial meetings and events will take place between 17th and 19th of April, with other sideline events and activities taking place during the week between 15th and 20th of April.
WAM