(Left) Gilles Roth, Luxembourg's Minister of Finance;
Credit: MFIN
Luxembourg's Minister of Finance, Gilles Roth, participated in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington, DC, in the United States (US), from Wednesday 15 to Friday 17 April 2026.
According to Luxembourg's Ministry of Finance, amid rising geopolitical tensions, finance ministers and central bank governors stressed the need to preserve macroeconomic stability and financial resilience. Discussions highlighted the importance of prudent fiscal and monetary policies, as well as a renewed multilateral approach to addressing global challenges. The IMF indicated that the economic outlook remains particularly uncertain, including with regard to energy price developments.
On the sidelines of the meetings, Minister Roth held bilateral talks with counterparts from Angola, Brazil, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Mongolia, Sierra Leone and Turkey.
Multilateral development banks (MDBs) were a central topic of discussions. Minister Roth met with the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Zou Jiayi, to discuss collaboration between Luxembourg and the institution.
He also hosted leaders of several international institutions for a working dinner at the Luxembourg Embassy. Discussions focused on increasing private capital mobilisation, the role of financial centres such as Luxembourg in structuring sustainable investments, utilising capital market instruments, and the importance of robust governance frameworks.
The minister also participated in a high-level IMF event dedicated to the new Southeast Europe Technical Assistance Center (SEETAC), which will support Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Moldova in strengthening public institutions and aligning them with European Union (EU) standards, with support from Luxembourg.
In addition, Minister Roth attended a private dinner hosted by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, bringing together European finance ministers and representatives of international institutions. Discussions focused on the impact of recent developments in the Middle East on the global economy, particularly energy prices and their implications for Europe in the short and medium term.
Luxembourg's Minister of Finance stressed that coordination at the European level remains essential and that energy price developments require close monitoring, given their impact on citizens and households, as well as on Europe's competitiveness, economic resilience and strategic autonomy. He reiterated the importance of continued cooperation with the EU's international partners.
Minister Roth also met with executives from several international financial institutions, with whom he discussed the challenges facing financial markets and explored opportunities to strengthen and expand their operations in Luxembourg.
The minister stated: "In a world marked by persistent economic uncertainties and heightened geopolitical tensions, cooperation between countries is more essential than ever. It is a key lever for consolidating political stability, encouraging economic growth and protecting citizens. This strong message of cooperation and responsibility is what I take away from our discussions in Washington."
