Previewing the 2025 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings

The 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund will take place in Washington, D.C., from Monday, Oc. 13, through Saturday, Oct. 18. Convened annually, the meetings bring together central bankers, finance and development ministers, private sector executives, civil society, academics and the media.

This year’s agenda unfolds against a complex economic and political landscape. High sovereign debt burdens, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, increasing trade tensions and tariff shocks and questions about the role of international financial institutions in supporting countries’ recovery remain at the center of debate. In parallel, the Trump administration has signaled an interest in reshaping both institutions to align more closely with U.S. strategic priorities.

Structure and Core Events

The core sessions include the Plenary, the joint World Bank-IMF Development Committee and the IMF’s International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC). These forums serve as high-level decision-making bodies where global economic stability, poverty eradication, development finance and institutional reforms are debated. Beyond these keystone events, the week will also feature ministerial panels, regional briefings, press conferences and thematic fora—providing opportunities for dialogue between government and private stakeholders.

The Plenary session, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 17, will feature addresses by Olavo Avelino Garcia Correia, vice prime minister and minister of finance of Cabo Verde and this year’s Annual Meetings Chairman, Ajay Banga, president of the World Bank Group, and Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF. Additional highlights include Georgieva’s Oct. 8 “curtain raiser” speech hosted at the Milken Institute, and a set of policy-oriented panels on debt restructuring, clean energy transitions and institutional reform.

A full list of IMF-World Bank events can be found here.

Why IMF-World Bank Week Matters

IMF-World Bank week is one of the premier gatherings for global economic and financial policy. It brings together senior government officials, finance ministers, central bankers, private sector leaders, NGOs and civil society to debate and shape the global economic agenda. For clients, the week offers opportunities to engage with decision-makers influencing policies that affect investment and market conditions worldwide. It also provides a platform to monitor shifts in U.S. policy under the Trump administration and to connect with international counterparts on trade, infrastructure and financing initiatives.

Brownstein can help clients navigate the Annual Meetings and facilitate strategic engagements with U.S. and international officials present in Washington for the week.

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