The International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) has reaffirmed its commitment to global economic stability, international cooperation and private sector-led growth amid rising global uncertainties.
The committee also pledged to address fiscal vulnerabilities, strengthen debt sustainability, rebuild financial buffers and protect vulnerable populations through credible economic policies and international cooperation.
The commitments were contained in a statement issued at the 54th meeting of the IMFC, chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Finance, Mohammed Aljadaan, on Saturday in Bangkok, Thailand.
The committee said the global economy had weathered recent shocks better than expected but warned that resilience could not be taken for granted amid rising geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and emerging financial vulnerabilities.
It noted that ongoing wars and conflicts continued to exact a heavy humanitarian toll and impose significant economic costs, disproportionately affecting the poorest and most vulnerable countries.
According to the committee, supply chain disruptions and trade tensions were increasing uncertainty and price pressures, while rapid advances in artificial intelligence were driving investment and trade, with the potential to boost productivity.
It warned that escalating conflicts and trade tensions could disrupt critical trade routes, intensify commodity price pressures and worsen energy and food insecurity.
The IMFC also identified rising sovereign bond yields in major economies, high public debt, refinancing needs and uncertainties surrounding the economic and financial implications of advanced artificial intelligence technologies as potential sources of macro-financial vulnerabilities.
It expressed concern that divergent economic outcomes could widen existing inequalities, leaving low-income countries and fragile states at risk of falling further behind.
To address these challenges, the committee called for sound and consistent macroeconomic policies, credible medium-term fiscal frameworks and accelerated fiscal consolidation to ensure debt sustainability.
It stressed that such measures should rebuild financial buffers while protecting vulnerable populations and preserving priority investments capable of driving productivity and economic growth.
The committee reaffirmed the importance of central bank independence, price stability and data-dependent, well-communicated monetary policy decisions, describing them as essential to policy credibility and anchoring inflation expectations.
It also pledged to strengthen financial stability through adherence to international standards, monitoring emerging vulnerabilities and improving safeguards in digital finance and cyber resilience.
The IMFC welcomed the Bangkok Blueprint, which seeks to strengthen digital finance safeguards, enhance cyber resilience and advance international efforts to combat digital fraud.
On international trade, the committee committed to addressing excessive global imbalances and trade tensions, avoiding distortive policies and strengthening supply chain resilience through country-specific reforms and multilateral cooperation.
It further emphasised the importance of secure and resilient energy flows and respect for freedom of navigation in maintaining global economic stability, while reaffirming its April 2021 exchange rate commitments.
The committee pledged continued support for countries implementing reforms and addressing debt vulnerabilities, particularly low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries, fragile and conflict-affected states, and small developing states.
It called for improvements in sovereign debt restructuring processes, including under the Common Framework, to ensure that restructurings were predictable, timely, orderly and coordinated.
The IMFC urged all stakeholders, including private creditors, to improve debt transparency and encouraged accelerated implementation of the three-pillar approach developed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group.
“We encourage increasing support to countries with sustainable debt but facing short-term financing challenges,” it said.
The committee welcomed recent policy reviews aimed at strengthening the IMF’s surveillance, debt analysis, lending and capacity development functions, while calling for their prompt, effective and even-handed implementation.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to a strong, quota-based and adequately resourced IMF at the centre of the Global Financial Safety Net.
The IMFC urged member countries to finalise domestic approvals for the quota increase under the 16th General Review of Quotas without further delay.
It welcomed efforts to modernise the Fund’s operations, strengthen enterprise risk management and improve staff representation, particularly for women and underrepresented regions, while maintaining merit-based selection processes.
The committee thanked the Thai authorities and people for hosting the 2026 Annual Meetings in Bangkok and welcomed the one-year extension of Aljadaan’s tenure as chair.
The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for April 2027 in Washington, D.C.
