Syria and IMF discuss financial reforms and technical assistance

Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh met with officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok to discuss financial and institutional reforms. The discussions focused on expanding technical assistance to improve tax administration, public spending, revenue management, and budget planning.

Key topics included developing a medium-term budget framework to align government priorities with financial planning and bringing Syria’s financial statistics in line with international standards. The two sides also explored the potential use of artificial intelligence in tax administration to improve compliance and data analysis.

Jihad Azour, the IMF’s director for the Middle East and Central Asia department, noted that the fund has conducted over 40 missions and technical assistance activities related to Syria over the last 18 months. The meetings also served as preparations for the IMF’s Article IV consultations, which are regular assessments of a member country’s economy. Barnieh and the Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, Mohammed Safwat Raslan, also met with the IMF’s executive director for the Arab Group.