Finance Minister Arrives in Washington for IMF and World Bank Talks

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has arrived in the United States for a six-day visit to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB). Senior officials warmly received the finance minister and his delegation from the Embassy of Pakistan upon their arrival in Washington. During his visit, Senator Aurangzeb will represent Pakistan at the plenary sessions of both the IMF and World Bank, and is set to hold a series of high-level meetings with senior officials from the IMF, World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). A key objective of the trip is to secure a staff-level agreement with the IMF. Aurangzeb’s packed agenda includes a one-on-one meeting with World Bank President Ajay Banga, as well as attendance at a special dinner hosted by Banga for finance ministers from selected countries. He will also meet IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva during sessions of the G24 and MENAP (Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan) groups, where he is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on regional economic priorities. The Finance Minister will participate in a World Bank roundtable on the digital transformation of tax systems, alongside officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and tax authorities from other countries, who will share their reform experiences. He is also slated to attend two major events organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Bilateral meetings are planned with finance ministers from China, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan. Aurangzeb’s itinerary also includes discussions with senior officials at the White House, the U.S. Congress Financial Services Committee, the U.S. State and Treasury Departments, and the International Development Finance Corporation (IDFC). In addition, the finance minister will engage with members of the US-Pakistan Business Council to discuss tax proposals and investment opportunities in Pakistan. He will also meet representatives of global credit rating agencies, commercial banks, particularly from the Middle East, and international investors. Aurangzeb is expected to address various investment forums and seminars to highlight Pakistan’s economic outlook and reform agenda. He will visit prominent U.S. think tanks, including the Atlantic Council and the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), and meet with members of the Pakistani community. The minister will also give interviews to leading U.S. and international media outlets. Over the course of his six-day visit, Senator Aurangzeb is scheduled to participate in more than 65 engagements, including meetings, forums, and public events, underscoring the significance of Pakistan’s participation in the global economic dialogue.