ISLAMABAD:
A senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official said on Sunday that growth across the Middle East, North Africa (MENA) region and Pakistan was expected to strengthen in 2025 and beyond, despite “exceptional uncertainty” that could weigh on the global economic outlook.
In a comprehensive guest lecture at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), IMF Resident Representative for Pakistan Mahir Binici, cautioned against elevated trade tensions, geopolitical fragmentation and weakening global cooperation.
Binici, according to a press release issued here, reaffirmed the continued IMF support for Pakistan’s economic and climate reform agenda and underlined the urgent need for prudent and forward-looking policy actions.
Focusing on Pakistan, Binici noted that the country’s performance under the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) had been “strong so far,” adding that the successful completion of the first review by the IMF Executive Board in May 2025 was a key milestone.
Binici emphasised that structural reforms remained central to Pakistan’s long-term economic sustainability, particularly reforms that strengthened tax equity, improve business climate, and encourage private-sector-led investment.
“Early policy measures have helped restore macroeconomic stability and rebuild investor confidence, despite persistent external challenges,” he said. He also highlighted Pakistan’s progress on climate-related reforms under the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
He said that key areas of reform under the RSF included enhancing public investment planning, promoting efficient and sustainable use of water resources, improving institutional coordination for disaster preparedness and financing, expanding availability and transparency of climate-related data.
The press released said that Binici stressed that the support through “the RSF will not only strengthen Pakistan’s climate resilience but also help unlock green investments and foster a more climate-conscious economic trajectory.”
The lecture was followed by a discussion on fiscal and monetary policy frameworks, external buffers, and the role of international institutions. Earlier, SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri dilated on multilateral cooperation in Pakistan’s journey toward sustainable development.
(WITH INPUT FROM APP)
