Washington, April 17 (SANA) Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh met with Bert Kroese, Director of the Statistics Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to discuss support for developing Syria’s statistical system on the sidelines of the IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the talks also covered prospects for technical cooperation to strengthen statistical infrastructure, in coordination with the Planning and Statistics Authority, the Ministry of Finance, and the Central Bank of Syria. Progress in rebuilding the national statistical base was reviewed, particularly in national accounts, public finance statistics, and monetary data.
Discussions also addressed challenges in restoring external sector statistics and balance of payments data, as well as the need for training Syrian personnel and launching capacity-building programs to improve data quality and efficiency.
Both sides emphasized the importance of continued technical support to enhance the ability of national institutions to produce accurate and reliable data, supporting economic decision-making and public policy.
The 2026 IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings are being held in Washington from April 13 to 18, bringing together government leaders, the private sector, and civil society to discuss global economic prospects, development challenges, and financial stability, with a focus this year on geopolitical conflicts, inflation, and energy supply resilience.
F.J./ABD