Pakistan to chair World Bank, IMF Boards in 2027

Pakistan has been named to head the Boards of Governors of the IMF and World Bank Group for 2027, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced on Friday. Business Recorder reported that this marks the country's first such appointment since 1953, and the announcement was made at the plenary sitting of the 2026 WBG and IMF annual gathering in Bangkok.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, who also serves as WBG governor for Pakistan, was formally confirmed as the incoming chair for 2027. The governing boards of the two bodies sit at the top of their decision-making, made up of member states that set the broad course for each institution. Cheema then received a briefing from the WBG Corporate Secretariat on what the chairmanship entails.

In Bangkok, Cheema also sat down with WBG Vice President and Corporate Secretary Aradhana Kumar-Capoor to talk about institutional backing during Pakistan's term. He further met Carlos Carvallo Spalding, Paraguay's central bank governor and the outgoing chair, offering congratulations on his completed tenure. Among his stated priorities were a stronger voice for developing economies, predictable development finance, better ties among multilateral lenders, and private investment for inclusive growth.