IMF, World Bank to hold meeting in Morocco

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank confirmed on Monday their annual meetings in Morocco will take place next month in Marrakech as planned.

The decision comes after the country was hit by a devastating earthquake killing nearly 3,000 people.

The meeting will be between the World Bank President Ajay Banga, the IMF’s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and Morocco’s Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah Alaoui

According to the World Bank and the IMF, they had been in close contact with the Moroccan government since the earthquake to make sure Marrakech would be capable of hosting the 2023 Annual Meetings.

However, the meetings will not disrupt vital relief and reconstruction efforts, and the safety of participants has to be assured, both institutions said in a joint statement.

“Based on a careful review of the findings, the Managements of the World Bank and IMF, together with the Moroccan authorities, have agreed to proceed with holding the 2023 Annual Meetings in Marrakech from October 9 to 15, adapting the content to the circumstances,” Banga, Georgieva and Alaoui said.

The earthquake hit the country on the eighth of September killing nearly 3,000 people, and leaving over 5,600 injured.