Tbilisi (GBC) - Amid the ongoing annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, Natia Turnava, President of the National Bank of Georgia, and Lasha Khutsishvili, Minister of Finance, together with their delegation, met with Jihad Azour, Director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department.
According to the National Bank of Georgia, the discussions centred on Georgia’s fiscal and monetary policies, macroeconomic outlook, and prospects for further cooperation with the IMF.
It was reaffirmed that Georgia’s macroeconomic fundamentals remain robust, and the country’s external position has markedly improved in recent years.
The meeting noted that as of March 2026, headline inflation stood at 4.3%. Core inflation remained below the target, at approximately 2.4%, while inflation in services stayed close to the target, reaching 3.3%.
“These indicators, which better reflect long-term inflation trends, suggest that inflation expectations are well managed,” stated the President of the National Bank.
The discussion also highlighted the NBG’s strategy of building international currency reserves, with a positive assessment of Georgia’s foreign currency reserves reaching a record high in 2025. For the first time since 2022, international reserves exceeded the 100% adequacy threshold.
The talks also addressed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with concerns expressed that prolonged instability could impact the country’s economic forecasts.
On his part, Jihad Azour remarked that despite regional uncertainties and the conflict, Georgia has been effectively managing external shocks and maintaining a stable economic environment.
The meeting was attended by the Vice Presidents of the National Bank of Georgia, Ekaterine Mikabadze, Ekaterine Galdava, and Nino Jeladze, as well as Deputy Ministers of Finance, Giorgi Kakauridze and Ekaterine Guntsadze
