IMF / World Economic Outlook Annual Meetings, 2026 - IMF Media Center

The world’s finance ministers and central bank governors are gathering in Bangkok, Thailand this week for the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. Our experts are on the ground talking to leaders and getting the behind-the-scenes scoop on how the Bretton Woods institutions are taking on the most urgent challenges in the global economy, including conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, soaring public debt, and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI). Check back for expert reactions to breaking news, updates from our events with high-level policymakers, and more. “They finally get it.” Closing thoughts on Bangkok.

The US-Israel war on Iran and its inflationary impact will dominate the agenda. Finance officials from around the world will gather in Bangkok this week under the shadow of a widening war in the Middle East, the biggest-ever energy supply shock and rising interest rates that together pose daunting risks to already-sluggish global economic growth. The US-Israel war on Iran, now in its eighth month, and its inflationary impact are slated to dominate the agenda and sideline conversations during the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, held outside Washington for the first time in three years. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4US stocks slide as oil prices fluctuate over renewed Iran war fearslist 2 of 4Trump says US will not strike Iran before midterm electionslist 3 of 4What the Iran war has done to the world’s energy supply, in chartslist 4 of 4Zelenskyy says Russia violated energy truce announced by Trumpend of listIMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told Reuters News Agency that 18,000 people were registered to attend the meetings, 4,000 more than the last off-site meetings held in Morocco in October 2023.