ISLAMABAD, Oct 16 (DNA): Pakistan will assume the chairmanship of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 2027, with Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema formally announced as the incoming chair.
The announcement, made during the plenary session of the 2026 WBG-IMF Annual Meetings in Bangkok, marked a historic milestone, as Pakistan would assume the chairmanship for the first time since 1953, a news release said on Friday here.
The forthcoming chairmanship provides Pakistan with an important opportunity to contribute to global economic and development deliberations and facilitate constructive dialogue among member countries at a critical juncture for the multilateral system.
Following the plenary session, Ahad Khan Cheema, who is also Pakistan’s Governor to the WBG, received a briefing from the WBG Corporate Secretariat on the responsibilities of the chairmanship.
He also met Aradhana Kumar-Capoor, Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the WBG, to discuss institutional support and coordination during Pakistan’s tenure.
The minister also met Carlos Carvallo Spalding, Governor of the Central Bank of Paraguay and outgoing Chair of the Boards of Governors. He congratulated Spalding on the successful completion of his tenure and commended his stewardship.
The two exchanged views on the responsibilities of the office and priorities for the coming year, enabling the incoming chair to benefit from the outgoing chair’s experience and insights.
During the meetings, Cheema highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening the voice of developing countries, promoting effective and predictable development financing, improving coordination among multilateral development institutions and mobilizing private capital to support sustainable and inclusive growth.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to work closely with the WBG, IMF and member countries to foster constructive dialogue and contribute to a more responsive multilateral development and financial system.
