The delegation of the National Bank of Moldova, led by Governor Anca Dragu, held talks with senior officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC, starting with Jeroen Clicq, Managing Director for Moldova at the IMF, Alfred Kammer, Director of the European Department of the IMF, and Alina Iancu, IMF Mission Chief for Moldova.
The dialogue focused on the main achievements of the National Bank of Moldova in the implementation of the IMF Program, as well as the technical assistance provided by the IMF.
"The financial assistance provided so far has a positive impact on the development of the national economy. The IMF's contribution to the promotion and implementation of economic reforms is reflected in the creation of a favorable framework for long-term development," the NBM Governor emphasized.
As regards the joint IMF-World Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) [1], to be implemented in 2025, Anca Dragu expressed her readiness to actively participate in the successful completion of this assessment mission, which is of particular importance in the development strategy of the financial sector of the Republic of Moldova.
The discussions also covered macroeconomic developments and development prospects of the Republic of Moldova, as well as the central bank's reform agenda to fulfill the criteria for Moldova's accession to the European Union.
At the same time, it was emphasized the relevance of the IMF evaluation conducted at the request of the NBM, which highlighted the profile of a modern and transparent institution, which implements "advanced transparency practices in key areas". The IMF assessment reconfirms the NBM's commitment to transparency and international best practices. The discussions identified areas for improvement to further enhance this transparency.
The dialogue also focused on the main progress made by the Republic of Moldova over the past year, as reflected in the Enlargement Package - a set of reports outlining the main developments in the EU candidate countries.
The bilateral discussions also highlighted the "Growth Plan for the Republic of Moldova", approved by the European Commission, as well as the participation of the NBM in the Economic Reform Program (ERP) exercise, and priorities such as the Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU and candidate countries.
Also, on the margins of the spring conferences of the IMF and the World Bank Group, meetings were held with other high-ranking IMF officials, including Marnix Leonard Alexander van Rij, Alternate Executive Director for Moldova at the IMF, among others.
The series of conferences in Washington will continue today with bilateral talks with Kenji Okamura, Deputy Director General. The main topics will focus on the progress of IMF-supported reforms, with an emphasis on maintaining price stability and banking sector stability in Moldova.
The annual Spring Conferences of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund provide a forum for dialog and exchange of experiences between senior representatives of the international financial sector, helping to identify solutions to current and future challenges.