From 13 to 18 April 2026, the delegation of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM), led by Governor Anca Dragu, participated in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), held in Washington D.C. This event is one of the most important global forums, bringing together central bank governors, finance ministers, private sector leaders, and civil society representatives to discuss the state of the global economy.
The working agenda included meetings with senior officials from the IMF and WB. During discussions with Mr Kenji Okamura, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, Governor Ms Anca Dragu noted that the latest evaluations from the IMF and WB confirm that the Republic of Moldova has a resilient financial sector and a prudent monetary policy.
At the meeting with Mr Alfred Kammer, Director of the IMF European Department, Ms Anca Dragu mentioned that a new programme with the IMF will play a key role in strengthening the Republic of Moldova's macroeconomic stability and resilience, as well as in continuing the reforms on the path to European integration.
Additionally, in her meeting with Ms Antonella Bassani, Vice President of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia, the NBM Governor emphasised the Republic of Moldova's progress in implementing reforms, with a particular focus on the digitalisation of financial infrastructure, financial inclusion, the transition to a green economy, and strengthening the resilience of the financial sector.
Discussions with representatives from the U.S. Department of the Treasury focused on the importance of bilateral cooperation, highlighting the Republic of Moldova's achievements in strengthening its financial security framework. The 2025 MONEYVAL Committee report of the Council of Europe confirmed significant improvements in preventing money laundering and terrorism financing. As a result of these achievements, MONEYVAL decided that Moldova would no longer be subject to monitoring under the 5th round of evaluation.
One of the central topics discussed in the meetings was the European path of the Republic of Moldova. The Governor of the National Bank, Ms Anca Dragu, highlighted the concrete steps taken to align with EU standards:
"Adopting the best international practices is a firm commitment of the NBM in the European integration process. Modernising the financial-banking sector is a key element for sustainable economic development. The reforms implemented by the NBM are delivering tangible results for citizens and businesses: lower costs, better access to financing, increased investor confidence, and deeper integration into the European financial market," said Ms Anca Dragu.
A particularly significant moment was the presentation of the IMF European Department's Regional Economic Outlook (REO). The event brought together central bank governors and finance ministers to discuss the economic challenges of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe in a global context marked by uncertainty.
In her intervention, Ms Anca Dragu mentioned that, in the context of an international economic system marked by uncertainty and exposed to major shocks, the NBM is managing the current challenges with the utmost responsibility. Additionally, the Governor highlighted that the Republic of Moldova's banking system is stable, well-capitalised, and efficiently governed, with recent stress tests confirming that banks are resilient, maintaining capital levels above regulatory thresholds, even in adverse scenarios.
The Governor of the central bank emphasised during the discussions that Moldova's banking system remains solid and well-capitalised, and the recent stress tests confirm the resilience of the banks.
The IMF and WB Spring Meetings provide a platform for strategic dialogue on global economic and financial policies, while also offering the authorities of the Republic of Moldova an opportunity to coordinate efforts in promoting macroeconomic stability and implementing reforms.
