Baku: Sahil Babayev, Azerbaijan's Minister of Finance, met with a delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), including Patrick Loszewski, IMF Executive Director for Azerbaijan's constituency, and Anna Bordon, head of IMF mission in the country. The meeting focused on the current state and development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and IMF, stressing the significance of strengthening capacity building and technical assistance mechanisms, taking into account the institutional and structural reforms implemented in Azerbaijan.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the officials discussed key areas of fiscal and monetary policy, preserving macroeconomic and financial stability, and increasing resilience to risks arising from global economic processes. Minister Babayev highlighted the long-standing and trusted cooperation between Azerbaijan and IMF, describing maintaining macroeconomic and financial stability as one of Azerbaijan's top priorities. He added that the fiscal policy is shaped around principles of sustainability and efficiency, including effective use of public resources, stronger medium-term budget planning, and enhanced resilience to external shocks.

Head of IMF mission Anna Bordon underscored the key role of the fiscal and monetary policies pursued in Azerbaijan in strengthening macroeconomic stability and ensuring long-term development. She also highlighted the importance of IMF technical assistance and capacity building in supporting institutional reforms and financial sector resilience. IMF Executive Director Patrick Loszewski commended Azerbaijan's efforts to bolster macroeconomic stability and enhance structural reforms.

Minister Babayev also addressed the existing imbalances in the allocation of IMF capacity building and technical assistance resources for Azerbaijan, calling for a more balanced regional distribution in light of the ongoing reforms. The meeting further explored ways to deepen cooperation between Azerbaijan and the IMF, continue institutional dialogue, and discuss other issues of shared interest.