– A delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded a formal visit to the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Tuesday, marking the first of its kind in nearly 18 years.During the visit, the delegation held a series of meetings with government officials to discuss fiscal and economic policy priorities and explore prospects for future technical cooperation.The delegation, led by Ron van Rooden included eight experts in the areas of public finance, statistics, monetary affairs, and legal frameworks.Discussions focused on assessing the needs of Syrian economic institutions, particularly the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Syria.According to a statement issued by the IMF, the visit was part of a technical mission aimed at supporting policy and institutional development, and helping the Syrian authorities prepare the national budget and set spending priorities aligned with the country's economic recovery requirements.The statement noted that the IMF would continue to work with the Syrian government to provide technical support. This includes modernizing financial and monetary statistical systems, enhancing transparency in economic reporting, strengthening the capacities of personnel in the financial and banking sectors, and offering technical advice on combating money laundering and terrorism financing.The visit follows a series of prior meetings between the two sides in recent months, notably in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Washington, D.C., on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings.
