Syria to rejoin Arab group at IMF, leaving Russian-led constituency

Syria will rejoin the Arab constituency at the International Monetary Fund on Nov. 1, leaving the Russian-led group it joined in 2012, the Finance Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.The move is part of Damascus’ push to reengage with international financial institutions as it seeks billions of dollars in financing for postwar reconstruction.The announcement followed a meeting between Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh, Central Bank Governor Mohammad Safwat Raslan and Ali Al-Hosani, executive director for the Arab constituency at the IMF on the sidelines of the 2026 IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported.The officials discussed ongoing cooperation, including technical assistance, capacity building and preparations for Article IV consultations, according to a statement published on the Finance Ministry's Telegram channel. The IMF’s last Article IV consultation with Syria, which involves a regular assessment of a member country’s economic policies, took place in 2009.