The Annual and Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group each year bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, private sector executives, civil society representatives, and academics to discuss the state of the global economy and issues of international concern, such as the growth outlook, financial stability, and poverty reduction. The Meetings are the only gathering of its kind in the world and a unique forum for discussion on economic policymaking.
The Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the IMF and World Bank Group take place in October in Washington, DC. and every third year in a city of another member country.
The Board of Governors consists of a high-level representative from each of the 190 member countries, typically the finance minister, central bank governor, or minister of development. During the Meetings, the Governors participate in a plenary session and discuss the challenges for the global economy. They also decide on major policy issues related to the future work of the two organizations, which are subsequently implemented by their respective Executive Boards.
In addition, the IMF's International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) and the joint IMF-World Bank Development Committee (DC) meet to discuss progress on the work of the two organizations.
The IMFC has 24 members drawn from the Board of Governors and oversees the work of the IMF. It focuses discussions on the global economy, developments in financial markets, as well as other pressing issues within the IMF’s mandate. For its part, the DC advises the Board of Governors of the World Bank on critical development issues and financial resources required to promote economic development and poverty reduction in developing countries.
At the conclusion of these meetings, the IMFC and DC release statements that provide guidance to the Executive Boards of the two institutions. For a list of past statements, please see IMFC and DC.
The IMFC and DC also meet annually during the Spring Meetings of the two institutions, which take place every April in Washington, DC. During Annual and Spring Meetings, Governors and country officials hold bilateral meetings with the staff and management of the IMF and World Bank.
Over 10,000 people have traditionally attended the Annual and Spring in person, with this number continuing to expand as the Meetings are held in a hybrid format. Participants include the governors themselves and their alternates, as well as members of their delegations, observers from other intergovernmental organizations, such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and representatives from financial institutions and bodies, such as the Financial Stability Board (FSB), as well as numerous journalists, academics, and representatives of civil society organizations.
Several events take place on the side of the Annual and Spring Meetings:
Country group meetings Various country groups, such as the Group of Twenty (G-20), the Group of Twenty-Four (G-24), and the Commonwealth hold ministerial-level meetings ahead of or during the Annual and Spring Meetings. |
Press Conferences The Managing Director of the IMF and the President of the World Bank, as well as senior officials from the institutions, hold press conferences on global and regional economic outlooks and other topical issues. |
High-Level Seminars and Talks The Program of Seminars is a premier global forum where leaders in policymaking, academia, civil society, private sector, and media, among others engage in public dialogue on the pressing global economic and financial issues of the day. In parallel, expert in-depth discussions take place as part of established talk series, such as the New Economy Forum, Analytical Corner, Capacity Development Talks, Governor Talks, and other fora. |
Civil Society Forum A Civil Society Policy Forum is also held during the Annual and Spring Meetings. The forum includes policy dialogue sessions, which bring together a large number of civil society representatives from across the globe with Fund and Bank staff, government officials, and others to discuss issues of concern. For more information on the IMF and Bank’s dialogue with civil society organizations, please see IMF and Civil Society or the World Bank’s Civil Society website. |
This page was last updated in December 2022
