Finance minister in Washington for IMF, World Bank annual meetings

Edward Scicluna will be holding talks with senior officials of leading international financial institutions

The 2017 IMF and the World Bank Group annual meetings were held in Washington DC between the 12 and 15 October (Photo: Reuters)
The 2017 IMF and the World Bank Group annual meetings were held in Washington DC between the 12 and 15 October (Photo: Reuters)

Finance minister Edward Scicluna is currently in Washington for the annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group, which draw to a close on today, according to a statement by the finance ministry.

It said that Scicluna was also holding talks with “senior officials” of “leading financial institutions” on the fringes of the two annual meetings.

“Minister Scicluna is discussing Malta’s economic, fiscal, and financial outlook, as well as its challenges for the coming years to senior officials of leading international banks, and top officials from leading rating agencies Moody’s Standards and Poor’s, Fitch Ratings, and DBRS Sovereign,” said the ministry.

Moreover, it said Scicluna had also held high-level meetings with US Under Secretary at the US Treasury David Malpass, and Irish minister for finance Michael D’Arcy, World Bank executive director Patrizio Pagano, Country Director for the Maghreb Marie Francoise Nelly, IMF executive director Carlo Cottarelli, deputy director for the European Region Mahmood Pradhan and head of the Article IV Mission to Malta Nir Klein.

The ministry said the annual meetings serve as a platform for finance and development ministers, central bank governors, private sector executives, and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, migration issues, and economic development.

Scicluna was accompanied by Central Bank of Malta governor Mario Vella and deputy governor Alessandro Demarco.