IMF Board Approves Argentina Payout of Almost $800 Mn

Argentina's president Javier Milei has vowed to get inflation back down - AFP
Argentina's president Javier Milei has vowed to get inflation back down - AFP
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IMF Board Approves Argentina Payout of Almost $800 Mn

Argentina's president Javier Milei has vowed to get inflation back down - AFP
Argentina's president Javier Milei has vowed to get inflation back down - AFP

The IMF executive board voted to approve a payout of almost $800 million for Argentina as it continues a program of drastic economic reforms under its libertarian president, Javier Milei.

A self-declared "anarcho-capitalist," Milei has vowed to halt Argentina's economic decline and reduce the budget deficit to zero, and has embarked on a program to slash public spending and bring down inflation, which remains at an annual rate of more than 275 percent, AFP reported.

"The Executive Board assessed the program to be firmly on track, with all quantitative performance criteria through end-March 2024 met with margins," the International Monetary Fund said in a statement.

The decision by the IMF executive board to approve the eighth review of its loan program with the Latin American nation will allow for the disbursement of just over $793 million, bringing the total disbursements under the existing program to more than $41 billion.

"The Board emphasized that sustaining the strong progress requires improving the quality of fiscal adjustment, initiating steps towards an enhanced monetary and FX (foreign exchange) policy framework, and implementing the structural agenda," the IMF said.

"Continued efforts to support the vulnerable, broaden political support and ensure agile policymaking will also be necessary," it added.

"The good news continues," Milei wrote on X, sharing the IMF statement.

The payout approval follows an announcement earlier in the day that Argentine inflation came in at 4.2 percent in May, the lowest in two-and-a-half years, according to the INDEC statistics agency.



Saudi Digital Payments Market Attracts Global Investments

Visitors to the Fintech 24 Conference in Riyadh (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
Visitors to the Fintech 24 Conference in Riyadh (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
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Saudi Digital Payments Market Attracts Global Investments

Visitors to the Fintech 24 Conference in Riyadh (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
Visitors to the Fintech 24 Conference in Riyadh (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)

Saudi Arabia is pushing to increase digital payments to 70% by 2030, creating significant opportunities for global companies to expand in the region.
According to the Saudi Central Bank, electronic payments in the retail sector grew by 12% in 2023, reaching 70% of total transactions. Cashless transactions hit 10.8 billion, up from 8.7 billion in 2022, driving international companies to establish regional headquarters and capitalize on this growing market.
Nouf Al-Salama, Business Development Manager at PayerMax, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the company has opened a regional office in Saudi Arabia to strengthen its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
She noted that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are expected to experience rapid growth in e-commerce, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading the change. According to CNNB Solutions, both countries are seeing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 39% and 38%, respectively.
Federico Pienovi, Head of Commercial Operations for Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania at Argentine company Globant, revealed the company’s ambitions to generate $1 billion in revenue in the Saudi market over the next five years.
He said that Saudi Arabia has been selected as Globant’s regional headquarters, although the company is expanding across the region. With these ambitions, Globant plans to create over 500 local jobs in the coming years, continue its expansion, support national talents, and work on major projects that bring cutting-edge technology innovations to the Kingdom, he underlined.
Mordor Intelligence projects a 15.4% CAGR for Saudi Arabia's payment market between 2022 and 2027, making it one of the most advanced markets transitioning towards a cashless society.
PayerMax estimates the global digital payments market, valued at $7.79 trillion in 2022, will reach $14.77 trillion within five years, driven by the growth of digital wallets, smartphones, and payment technologies. Emerging economies’ rapid smartphone adoption is expected to further fuel this growth.