Saudi Crown Prince Chairs Meeting of Council of Economic and Development Affairs

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince an Prime Minister, during a cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince an Prime Minister, during a cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince Chairs Meeting of Council of Economic and Development Affairs

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince an Prime Minister, during a cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince an Prime Minister, during a cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, chaired a meeting for the council on Tuesday.

The council reviewed several economic and development issues, including a presentation submitted by the Ministry of Economy and Planning regarding local and global economic development.

The presentation included details of the most important indicators related to the national economy, especially the growth witnessed by the sectors of the national economy, as well as a large number of other sectors and activities during the past period.

It also reviewed the prospects of the global economy during the coming period and an analysis of the most prominent indicators.

The council discussed the presentation submitted by the Strategic Management Office of the Council regarding the governance of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the roles of the supporting agencies.

It reviewed a presentation submitted by the Ministry of Health regarding the latest health developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and a presentation by the Project Management Office at the Secretariat of the Council regarding the follow-up on decisions and recommendations of the Council during the fourth quarter of the past year 2022.

The council made the necessary decisions and recommendations regarding these issues.



US Treasury's Bessent Urges IMF, World Bank to Refocus on Core Missions

 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, to the Institute of International Finance Global Outlook Forum at the Willard Hotel in Washington. (AP)
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, to the Institute of International Finance Global Outlook Forum at the Willard Hotel in Washington. (AP)
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US Treasury's Bessent Urges IMF, World Bank to Refocus on Core Missions

 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, to the Institute of International Finance Global Outlook Forum at the Willard Hotel in Washington. (AP)
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, to the Institute of International Finance Global Outlook Forum at the Willard Hotel in Washington. (AP)

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday called on the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to refocus on their core missions of macroeconomic stability and development, arguing that they have strayed too far into vanity projects such as climate change that have reduced their effectiveness.

Bessent, in remarks outlining his vision for US engagement with the IMF and World Bank on the sidelines of the institutions' spring meetings, said that they serve critical roles in the international financial system.

"And the Trump administration is eager to work with them - so long as they can stay true to their missions," Bessent said in prepared remarks to the Institute of International Finance.

"The IMF and World Bank have enduring value. But mission creep has knocked these institutions off course. We must enact key reforms to ensure the Bretton Woods institutions are serving their stakeholders - not the other way around," he said, calling on US allies to join the effort. "America First does not mean America alone."

Bessent said the IMF needed to focus on its key mandate and adhere to strong standards in its lending.

"The IMF was once unwavering in its mission of promoting global monetary cooperation and financial stability. Now it devotes disproportionate time and resources to work on climate change, gender, and social issues. These issues are not the IMF's mission."

"And sometimes, the IMF needs to say 'No.' The organization has no obligation to lend to countries that fail to implement reforms."

Bessent added that the World Bank must be "tech-neutral and prioritize affordability in energy investment. In most cases, this means investing in gas and other fossil fuel-based energy production."

He added that it could also finance renewable energy projects along with systems to manage energy latency in wind and solar.