The President of the Bank, Ajay Banga, the Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, and the Moroccan Minister of Economy, said Nadia Fattah Al-AlawiIn a joint statement, the meetings will take place between October 9 and 15 in Marrakesh, which is only 72 kilometers from the site. earthquakewith some changes made to adapt “to the circumstances.”
Senior officials of the Fund and the Bank took this decision, which Reuters was the first to report, after a direct request from Rabat, which pressured the two global institutions to move forward with the meetings.
The meetings are expected to attract between 10 and 15 thousand people MarrakeshMoroccan tourist city.
“While we look forward to holding the meetings, it is extremely important that we conduct them in a way that does not disrupt ongoing relief efforts and respects the victims and the Moroccan people,” the three officials said.
They added: “At this extremely difficult time, we believe that the annual meetings also provide an opportunity for the international community to stand by Morocco and its people, who have once again demonstrated their resilience in the face of tragedy. We also remain committed to ensuring the safety of all participants.”
Georgieva told Reuters on Friday that the Moroccan Prime Minister told her that not holding meetings in Marrakesh would be “very devastating” for its hospitality sector.