The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, highlighted on Saturday in Washington the importance of holding the next annual meetings of the World Bank and the IMF in Marrakech in 2023, saying she was “particularly proud” of this edition in Africa which will serve as a “great opportunity” to mobilize the international community in the face of the multiple crises facing the world.
“We are living in a time of great challenges for the global economy but above all for the people, especially in many African countries. I am very proud that we have chosen to meet in Africa for our annual meetings after 50 years of absence”Kristalina Georgieva told the press, during a visit to the Moroccan pavilion set up as part of the annual meetings of the two international institutions in the American federal capital (October 10-16),
The IMF official, who was accompanied by the Wali of Bank Al-Maghrib, Abdellatif Jouahri, said she was confident that all “crises can be overcome if we work together”.
For his part, Abdellatif Jouahri affirmed that Morocco is proud and honored to host the World Bank and IMF meetings next year. “which, more and more, are essential in the current situation” marked by a succession of crises.
The governor of the Moroccan central bank stressed the importance of working in favor of the most vulnerable, of establishing rules of fairness and equality and of responding in an agile, intelligent and appropriate way to crises current finances.
“With the Managing Director of the IMF, we have agreed that the message from Marrakech will be a message directed first to the youth, because the youth must remain confident in the future of this world, with changes in paradigms, institutions that can provide solutions and countries that act in the same direction”underlined Abdellatif Jouahri.
The city of Marrakech has seen the signing of several international agreements. This is where the GATT agreements were signed, establishing the World Trade Organization, he recalled, adding that the ocher city also hosted COP-22 in 2016.
In 2023, Marrakech will once again be there to host the world’s financial and banking elite as part of the annual meetings of the World Bank and the IMF, added the Wali of Bank Al-Maghrib. On this occasion, the DG of the IMF visited the different spaces of the Moroccan pavilion which, she said, “reflects the beauty of Moroccan craftsmanship”.
“It’s a taste of what awaits us at the next assemblies in Marrakech”launched Kristalina Georgieva.
At the headquarters of the IMF, Moroccan craftsmanship is honored through a pavilion installed on an area of 125 m2 by the Maison de l’artisan. It is divided into several exhibition, sales and entertainment spaces.
These spaces, which reflect the richness and diversity of Moroccan craftsmanship, are animated by craftsmen specializing in weaving and leather goods, a calligrapher, a henna tattoo artist, and also house an exhibition of carpets and Moroccan outfits and a space selling handicrafts.
Throughout the week of this major event, hundreds of people flock to the Moroccan pavilion every day, including senior representatives of official delegations from member states of the two international institutions.
The annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the IMF are held mainly in Washington and, every three years, in a member country other than the United States, in order to mark the international character of the two institutions. The last meeting in Africa took place in 1973 in Nairobi.
These meetings bring together central bank governors, finance ministers, representatives of academia, business leaders, parliamentarians, members of civil society organizations, and journalists for a week to discuss policy issues. scope, including financial stability, the impact of climate change and the effectiveness of development aid.