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

Jack Dutton

An attendee walks past signage displayed inside the venue for the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok on October 14, 2026. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP via Getty Images) — An attendee walks past signage displayed inside the venue for the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok on Oct. 14, 2026. — ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP via Getty Images

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.