At the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, the Central Bank of Montenegro held bilateral discussions with World Bank and IMF representatives to review ongoing joint work and set priorities for further cooperation, with a strong emphasis on payment systems modernisation and continued support on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT). Engagement with the World Bank covered current and prospective projects including forestry, fishery, wastewater management and water protection, alongside progress on decarbonisation and the energy transition. The central bank highlighted banking sector developments, including good capitalisation and declining non-performing loans, and underlined delivery of activities linked to Montenegro’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area and implementation of the TIPS Clone project. Discussions also addressed women’s financial inclusion, including the WE Finance Code Montenegro and Women on Boards projects. Cooperation with the World Bank is expected to continue through the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, focusing on licensing non-bank payment service providers, cyber security and payment system supervision, while IMF engagement included updates on regulatory alignment, AML/CFT strengthening and the completed Central Bank of Montenegro Transparency Code assessment.
Central Bank of Montenegro 2025-04-24
Central Bank of Montenegro strengthens cooperation with the World Bank and the IMF on payments modernisation and AML/CFT
At the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings, the Central Bank of Montenegro discussed cooperation on payment systems modernization and AML/CFT support. Engagements with the World Bank included forestry, fishery, and energy transition projects, while IMF discussions covered regulatory alignment and the Transparency Code assessment. Cooperation will continue under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, emphasizing non-bank payment service providers, cybersecurity, and payment system supervision.