IMF-World Bank Week at the Atlantic Council - Atlantic Council

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Key moments

At the 2026 IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, the @imf @WorldBankGroup and @BankofThailandofficial launched the Bangkok Blueprint, a new framework to help countries prevent, detect, and respond to the growing threat of cyber-enabled fraud in digital financial services.

The Atlantic Council's Josh Lipsky moderated the event, where IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva emphasized that the initiative will become part of the “lasting legacy of these meetings.”

Launching is just the first step. Georgieva outlined how the IMF, World Bank, and international partners can translate the framework into meaningful action through stronger regulation, international coordination, and measurable progress in combating financial fraud.

For more, watch the full event.

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IMF's Kristalina Georgieva: the Bangkok Blueprint to prevent fraud will be a “lasting legacy"

At the 2026 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde spoke to Atlantic Council Vice President and Chair of International Economics Josh Lipsky on Europe's digital future.

For more, watch the full event.

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ECB President Christine Lagarde on European payment sovereignty

At the 2026 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, spoke with Atlantic Council Vice President & Chair of International Economics Josh Lipsky on the outlook for global merchandise trade, highlighting artificial intelligence (AI) as a potential driver of growth in international commerce.

For more, watch the full event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRkTw8Fk85I

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Director General of The World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on global merchandise trade

At the 2026 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings, Megan Greene, external member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England, spoke with Atlantic Council Vice President & Chair of International Economics Josh Lipsky on pressure on central banks and the importance of central bank independence for effective monetary policy.

For more, watch the full event.

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The Bank of England's Megan Greene on the importance of central bank independence

Is AI a bubble? How could the war in the Middle East affect the US economy?

Global economic leaders from 190 countries are in Bangkok, Thailand this week for the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings to address some of the biggest economic issues of our time.

So what questions do people in Washington have about the economy? We took your questions to our Atlantic Council GeoEconomic Center experts Martin Mühleisen and Hung Tran in Bangkok.

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AC on the Streets: We answer your economic questions from Bangkok, Thailand

At the Atlantic Council's 2026 IMF-World Bank Week studio in Bangkok, Thailand, Palestine Monetary Authority Governor Yahya Shunnar spoke about Palestinian financial resilience and his views on dollar- and shekel-backed stablecoins.

For more, watch the full conversation.

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Palestine Monetary Authority Governor Yahya Shunnar on stablecoins

At the Atlantic Council's IMF-World Bank studio in Bangkok, Thailand, Deputy Governor for Financial Stability at the Bank of England Sarah Breeden spoke about the potential uses of artificial intelligence in central banks.

For more, watch the full conversation.

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Bank of England's Sarah Breeden on AI and the future of financial oversight

Go behind the scenes with Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center's Juliet Lancey for an exclusive look at the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings venue and the Atlantic Council's studio in Bangkok, Thailand.

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A behind-the-scenes look at the Atlantic Council studio in Bangkok, Thailand

Next week, the world's Central Bank governors and finance ministers are gathering for the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings. And this year, the meetings are traveling from Washington, DC, all the way to Thailand. The decisions made during this week impact every person on the planet, and the Atlantic Council will be there to break it all down for you from our studio and content hub at the heart of the official venue in Bangkok.

For key takeaways, sign up for our Bangkok Briefing newsletter here: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/imf-world-bank-week/#stay-updated

And for all of the conversations and analysis happening live and at your fingertips, download our IMF-World Bank Week app: https://link.atlanticcouncil.org/download-the-app

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Join the Atlantic Council at the IMF-World Bank Annual meetings in Bangkok

Ahead of the IMF-World Bank Week meetings in Thailand, we’re launching a new series of issue briefs and interviews examining the biggest economic questions facing the global economy.

In our first interview, Associate Director Jessie Yin speaks with Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou about his new issue brief, “ASEAN-5 in an era of geoeconomic realignment: Opportunities and risks in a fragmenting global economy.”

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Road to Bangkok: ASEAN-5 in an era of geoeconomic fragmentation

Full schedule

Select a day, then choose a session to watch live or on demand.

Bangkok briefings

Stellar Development Foundation Chief Legal Officer Candace Kelly spoke with GeoEconomics Center Associate Director Alisha Chhangani on anticipatory finance and increasing access to tokenized assets at the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.

Stellar Development Foundation is a partner of the Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center.

For more, follow our programming throughout the week: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/imf-wb-week-app/

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Stellar Development Foundation's Candace Kelly on tokenization and financial inclusion

Simon Weaver, Global Head of Sustainability Advisory at KPMG, spoke with the GeoEconomic Center's Juliet Lancey on how climate adaptations can drive innovation and growth, and the importance of mitigation against climate impacts.

KPMG is a partner of the Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center.

For more, follow our programming throughout the week: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/imf-wb-week-app/

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KPMG's Simon Weaver on climate adaptation as an economic opportunity

At the 2026 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, Winnie Wong, Mastercard Country Manager for Thailand and Myanmar, spoke with the GeoEconomics Center about fighting fraud and building trust in increasingly digital economies.

Mastercard is a partner of the Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center.

For more, follow our programming throughout the week: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/imf-wb-week-app/

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Mastercard's Winnie Wong on digital services and growth

At the Atlantic Council studio in Bangkok, Thailand, World Bank Group Department for Outcomes Director Lisandro Martín spoke with the GeoEconomics Center's Juliet Lancey on private capital mobilization, and what the World Bank Group can do to unlock investment in emerging economies through its jobs agenda.

For more, follow the Atlantic Council's programming throughout the week: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/imf-wb-week-app/

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The World Bank Group's Lisandro Martín on private capital mobilization

All in one place

Atlantic Council’s IMF-World Bank Week app

Available now on the Apple App store, Google Play store, and as a web app.

Live analysis

EconoGraphics

Live updates from the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Thailand as financial leaders take on AI, debt, and geopolitical upheaval

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts are on the ground talking to leaders and getting the behind-the-scenes scoop on how the Bretton Woods institutions are taking on the most urgent challenges in the global economy.

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Issue briefs

IMF-World Bank Week at the Atlantic Council

Issue Brief Oct 6, 2026

The new geoeconomics of Bretton Woods

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou, Martin Mühleisen, Nicole Goldin, Hung Tran, and Nisha Narayanan

Trade, investment, technology, finance, energy, and critical minerals are increasingly intertwined with national security. But globalization is not ending—it is becoming more contested and fragmented.

Economy & Business

IMF-World Bank Week at the Atlantic Council

Issue Brief Aug 3, 2026

ASEAN-5 in an era of geoeconomic realignment: Opportunities and risks in a fragmenting global economy

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

ASEAN-5 is poised to become an increasingly important engine of global growth, supported by young populations, improving human capital, abundant resources, and deep integration into global supply chains. Yet fragmentation, trade tensions, climate risks, infrastructure gaps, and regulatory constraints could limit this potential, making coordinated reforms essential to securing resilient and sustained regional economic progress.

East Asia Economy & Business

Econographics

IMF-World Bank Week at the Atlantic Council

Econographics Sep 28, 2026

The IMF’s big test in Bangkok

By Martin Mühleisen

The IMF is heading to Bangkok with plenty on its plate. From China’s industrial policy to US fiscal deficits and Europe’s economic challenges, the annual meetings will put the Fund’s global mandate in the spotlight.

Economy & Business International Financial Institutions

IMF-World Bank Week at the Atlantic Council

Econographics Sep 22, 2026

To achieve its next economic leap, Vietnam needs to move beyond the factory floor

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

Vietnam’s export-driven growth has been remarkable. But with domestic firms capturing relatively little of the value, Hanoi now needs to turn foreign investment into broader gains at home.

Economy & Business South Asia

IMF-World Bank Week at the Atlantic Council

Econographics Sep 15, 2026

The Philippines needs to turn fast growth into productive growth

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

The Southeast Asian nation has proved it can grow. Now, amid shifting supply chains and rising geopolitical tensions, it must prove it can grow more productively.

Economy & Business Indo-Pacific

IMF-World Bank Week at the Atlantic Council

Econographics Sep 9, 2026

The five issues to watch at next month’s IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings

By Hung Tran

From soaring debt to trade fragmentation and AI disruption, the global economy faces no shortage of challenges. Here are the five issues to watch at next month’s fall meetings.

Economy & Business Inclusive Growth

IMF-World Bank Week at the Atlantic Council

Econographics Aug 21, 2026

From manufacturing to AI, Thailand must reinvent its growth model

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

Thailand is at an economic crossroads. Slowing growth and rising structural pressures are exposing the limits of its manufacturing-led model. Can EVs, green industries, and AI drive its next phase of growth?

East Asia Economy & Business

IMF-World Bank Week at the Atlantic Council

Econographics Aug 14, 2026

Indonesia has all that it takes to move up the value chain

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

Ahead of the 2026 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings, Indonesia has a chance to showcase its growing economic clout. The challenge is turning its natural resources, young population, and strategic position into lasting productivity gains.

Economy & Business South Asia

Past meetings

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