The International Monetary Fund (IMF) inaugurated its first regional office in the Middle East and North Africa region on Wednesday in Riyadh. The launch coincided with a joint conference on industrial policy diversification, co-organized by the IMF and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance.
This new office aims to bolster partnerships across the Middle East and beyond. It will achieve this by focusing on capacity building, regional economic monitoring, and public outreach initiatives that promote stability, economic growth, and regional integration. Additionally, the office will act as a bridge for closer collaboration between the IMF, regional institutions, governments, and other relevant stakeholders.
The IMF commended Saudi Arabia’s financial contribution to supporting capacity development programs in member countries, including those facing economic fragility. Abdoul Aziz Wane, a highly experienced IMF leader with deep institutional knowledge and a vast network of global policymakers and academics, will lead the Riyadh office as its first director.
 inaugurated its first regional office in the Middle East and North Africa region on Wednesday in Riyadh.){kind=link}