Middle East & Central Asia News
LAST UPDATE: June 18, 2025
Armenia believes in its long-term effective cooperation with IMF
Armenian officials and IMF staff discussed macroeconomic policy, focusing on government spending (education, housing for displaced), and technical collaboration; a formal staff-level agreement on fifth review indicators progress.
Insight
Sustained IMF engagement signals Armenia’s commitment to reforms and investment in social priorities while securing financial confidence.
Opposition MP meets with IMF reps, concerned over threats to Armenia’s economy
An opposition member of parliament met IMF representatives to voice concerns about economic threats facing Armenia, underlining parliamentary scrutiny of government reforms.
Insight
Opposition engagement with the IMF suggests active political oversight and potential influence on future reform direction amid external financing dependencies.
Pakistan’s Army Chief Makes First US Trip After India Clashes
Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, is on his first official U.S. visit since his promotion and following recent India–Pakistan border clashes. He’s meeting senior officials including President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and Defense Secretary Hegseth, seeking military, economic, and counter‑terrorism cooperation. (x.com, bloomberg.com, ft.com)
Insight
The visit signals a possible warming of U.S.–Pakistan military ties, balancing Pakistan’s strategic reliance on China while engaging the U.S. amid regional tensions with India and developments in the Middle East.
