Events

MINSK, 30 June (BelTA) – An IMF negotiating mission on a new program may visit Belarus in the second half of 2016, reads the Staff Concluding Statement of the 2016 Article IV Mission that visited Belarus on 21-30 June, BelTA has learned.

“We expect discussions on a potential IMF program to continue, taking into account an assessment of recent policies and the Article IV consultations,” the statement says.

The IMF notes good progress in a number of important policy areas discussed in November, including in the real and financial sector. But in other areas, particularly utility pricing and SOE reform, much more remains to be done.

“The mission anticipates that discussions on policies will continue in the coming weeks and could form the basis for a negotiating mission in the second half of 2016,” the statement runs.

An IMF mission led by Peter Dohlman visited Belarus from 21 to 30 June to assess the current economic policy and hold annual consultations with authorities under Article IV.