BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 24. The International
Monetary Fund (IMF) will establish a new regional capacity
development center in Rome aimed at strengthening economic
institutions and policymaking across Southeast Europe, the Fund
said, Trend
reports.
The Southeast Europe Technical Assistance Center (SEETAC) will
support Western Balkan countries — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia — as well as
Moldova, all of which are pursuing European Union membership. The
center is expected to begin operations by January 2027.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the initiative
would address significant capacity development needs in the region,
helping to enhance macroeconomic stability, resilience and growth
prospects, while supporting progress toward EU accession.
SEETAC will become part of the IMF’s global network of 17
regional capacity development centers. It will provide targeted
technical assistance in key areas including fiscal policy, monetary
and financial sector policies, macroeconomic frameworks and
forecasting, statistics, and legal frameworks.
The new center will also complement existing training programs
delivered to the region by the IMF’s Joint Vienna Institute.
