INDONESIA GEARS UP FOR IMF-WB ANNUAL MEETINGS by Fardah

Jakarta, April 25, 2018 (Antara) - Indonesia is gearing up for the 2018 Annual Meetings of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB), which will be held in Nusa Dua, Bali Province, from Oct 12 to 14, 2018.

         The annual meetings are usually held at the IMF and WB headquarters in Washington, D.C. for two consecutive years and in another member country every third year. The meetings are organized to discuss a range of issues related to poverty reduction, international economic development, and finance.

         During these meetings, the Bank and the IMF organize a number of fora to facilitate the interaction of governments and World Bank-IMF staff with civil society organizations, journalists, private sector executives, academics, and representatives of other international organizations.

         In total, some 15 thousand participants, including Central Bank governors and finance ministers from 189 countries, will attend the IMF-WB annual meetings, which is one of the largest and influential events in the areas of finance and economy.

         They are expected to attend 600 meetings, including seminars, investment forum, focus group discussions, workshops, and cultural events.

         As the host of the meetings, the Indonesian Government has also planned three main events on the sidelines of the main meetings.

         The organizing committee will deploy liaison officers for delegations and offer special tours and entertainment programs for family members accompanying the delegates as well as for the journalists.

         Three one-day tours and cultural packages to northern, eastern, and western Bali will be offered to 600 couples and 100 journalists.

         Some five thousand investors, one thousand observers, 1,500 IMF and World Bank employees, thousands of businesspersons, and one thousand journalists are also expected to participate in the IMF-WB annual meetings.

         The peak of the event will take place from Oct 12 to 14, but business discussions and talks on the sidelines of the meetings will be held from Oct 8 to 14.

         Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has believed that the international meetings are a good momentum to promote Indonesian tourist destinations and to attract as many foreign tourists as possible.

         The ministry will offer some 60 tour packages, comprising 33 in Bali and 27 other packages in other regions such as in Banyuwangi, East Java; Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara; Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara; Yogyakarta; and Lake Toba of North Sumatra, to the participants of the meetings. ***3***
(f001/INE/B003)
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 25-04-2018