The PMA Governor Concludes His Visit to Washington with a Series of High-Level Meetings to Support the Palestinian Economy

His Excellency Mr. Yahya Shunnar, PMA Governor, concluded his official visit to Washington, D.C., which took place as part of his participation in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The visit included a series of high-level meetings with senior international officials, with the participation of His Excellency Mr. Omar Al-Bitar, Palestinian Minister of Finance, along with a delegation from the PMA and the Financial Follow-Up Unit. These engagements aimed to strengthen bilateral relations between Palestine and the international community and to mobilize support for the Palestinian economy amid the current challenges.

 As part of his visit, His Excellency the Governor met with Mrs. Hala Sheikh Rouhou, IFC's regional Vice President for the Middle East. During the meeting, the Governor reviewed the efforts undertaken by the PMA to maintain financial and monetary stability, promote financial inclusion, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through specialized financing programs, and advance development initiatives launched by the PMA to foster economic growth.

In addition, His Excellency met with the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for International Development, Baroness Jennifer Chapman, to discuss ways for cooperation between the two sides at both the technical and financial levels, with the aim of supporting project development and strengthening the resilience of the Palestinian economy.

Furthermore, the Governor held a meeting with Dr. Alfred Hannig, Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), where he presented the PMA’s efforts to promote financial inclusion, including expanding access to financial services and facilitating the integration of marginalized groups into the financial system, particularly through E-banking services.

His Excellency the Governor also held a meeting with former Governor of the PMA, Dr. Jihad al-Wazir, during which they exchanged views on the current economic and financial developments in Palestine. The discussion also covered the role of the PMA in strengthening financial stability amid the prevailing economic challenges.

Moreover, Governor Shunnar conducted a series of meetings with senior officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, including Mr. Ousmane Dione, vice president for the Middle East and North Africa at The World Bank, and Mr. Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the IMF. These meetings focused on enhancing cooperation and partnership between Palestine and the international institutions, and on mobilizing the necessary support to help the Palestinian people overcome the severe economic hardships caused by the ongoing Israeli aggression.

The World Bank and IMF officials expressed their appreciation for the efforts undertaken by the PMA to strengthen financial and banking sector stability in Palestine. They reaffirmed their commitment to continuing cooperation with Palestine and to providing the necessary support to help it overcome the current economic challenges.

During his speech on behalf of the State of Palestine at the meeting of Central Bank Governors and Finance Ministers of the Middle East and North Africa (MENAP) region, His Excellency the Governor called on the International Monetary Fund to play a greater role in supporting the Palestinian economy. He also emphasized the need to elevate Palestine’s representation within the IMF to reflect the Palestinian people's national rights in international forums—an appeal that received the backing of several Arab countries.

In his speech, the Governor reiterated the State of Palestine’s commitment to upholding the principles of transparency and to implementing necessary financial and economic reforms. He further stressed that the PMA will continue working to enhance financial and banking sector stability in Palestine despite the prevailing challenges.