Latvia's Ministry of Finance announced that Finance Minister Arvils Ašeradens and State Secretary Baiba Bāne will participate in the World Bank Group (WBG) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings in Washington, DC from 15 to 18 October. Discussions are expected to focus on Ukraine’s economic situation, geopolitical issues, macroeconomic and financial stability, and measures to support growth and employment in developing countries. The programme includes Nordic and Baltic constituency discussions, with a WBG-format meeting planned with WBG Senior Managing Director Axel van Trotsenburg on the Group’s role in addressing global challenges, support on climate change, economic recovery in contexts of instability and conflict, and the implementation and development impact of structural reforms. In the IMF format, Nordic and Baltic finance ministers and central bank heads are due to meet Ukraine’s finance minister Serhii Marchenko to review Ukraine’s economic outlook, financing needs and further support measures, alongside a ministerial roundtable on international cooperation for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction involving Ukraine’s prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Marchenko; a bilateral Latvia–Ukraine meeting will also cover next year’s budget financing needs and required support. Additional engagements include talks with World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Antonella Bassani on future support mechanisms for Ukraine, a discussion on global economic trends and growth forecasts with World Bank Deputy Chief Economist Ayhan Kose, a meeting with the German Marshall Fund on geopolitical impacts and defence-related investment and technology themes, participation in a Latvian-American Chamber of Commerce conference panel on security, and an International Development Association (IDA) deputies meeting on the impact of support measures for the world’s poorest countries.

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