IMF Office in Jordan

Resident Representative for Jordan

Kareem K. Ismail

Resident Representative

Office Information

P.O. Box 35296 Amman 11180, Jordan

Email: KIsmail@imf.org
Fax: (962) 6-5861572
Tel: (962) 6-5861598

Kareem K. Ismail, Resident Representative: Kareem Ismail has been serving as Resident Representative based in Amman since 2018, previously he covered Iraq and Yemen, and he has been covering Jordan since September 2020. Prior to this, Mr. Ismail worked in the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department (SPR) and the African department of the IMF. In SPR, he co-authored various policy papers including on Fund lending and was SPR economist on Turkey and Albania, including covering the successful completion of the latter’s 2014 EFF program. He also served as team lead on the vulnerability exercise for low-income countries and as deputy on the IMF Risk group. In the African Department, he helped negotiate Liberia’s first program post debt relief under the HIPC initiative and was fiscal desk economist on Zambia. Prior to joining staff, Kareem was Advisor to the Executive Director at the IMF for the Middle East (2009-11). He holds a PhD in economics from the Johns Hopkins University.
Rayah Al-Farah, Economist: Rayah Al-Farah is an Economist at the Resident Representative Office of the IMF in Jordan. Prior to joining the team in Amman, she worked in the Middle East and Central Asia department of the IMF in Washington DC, covering the Caucasus and Turkmenistan. She has co-authored multiple IMF papers and has worked on a variety of research projects on inclusive growth, financial inclusion, social spending, private sector development, and macroprudential policies. Rayah holds a B.A. in Economics from Wellesley College, and a Master’s in Global Human Development from Georgetown University.
Leen Aghabi, Economist: Leen Aghabi is an Economist at the Resident Representative Office of the IMF in Jordan. Prior, she worked at the World Bank Group (WBG) where her portfolio of advisory projects focused on providing private sector solutions that lay the foundation for sustainable economic growth in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. Before joining the WBG, Leen served at the Royal Hashemite Court. She was also a Research Fellow at the West Asia-North Africa (WANA) Institute. Leen holds a Master’s in International Relations, with Merit, from the London School of Economics.
Sana Almunizel, Administrative Assistant: Sana Al-Munizel has been working as an Administrative Assistant at the Fund since 2020. Before joining the Jordan Resident Representative Office, she was working at the Resident Representative Office for Iraq and Yemen. Prior to joining the Fund, Sana was a Security Intern with the United Nations Department for Safety and Security where she was in charge of the daily/weekly security reports to UNSMS in Jordan. Sana holds a Higher Diploma in Conflict Resolutions, a Master’s in Diplomatic Studies and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. In Political Science and Governmental Studies at the University of Jordan.

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This web page presents information about the work of the IMF in Jordan, including the activities of the IMF Resident Representative Office. Additional information can be found on the Jordan and IMF, including IMF reports and Executive Board documents that deal with Jordan.

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At Glance
Office Activities

Jordan and the IMF
Regional Economic Outlook

At Glance

Jordan joined the Fund in August 29, 1952

Quota (SDR): 343.1 million

Office Activities

IMF Resident Representative Kareem Ismail gives a presentation to the UN Retreat for Resident Coordinators for Arab States on the Middle East and North Africa Economic Outlook and policy priorities for the region

February 20, 2023
IMF Resident Representative Kareem Ismail gives a presentation at the Association of Banks to a summit of leaders of the Jordanian banking system on the Regional Economic Outlook with a focus on the Jordanian context

February 18, 2023
IMF Resident Representative Kareem Ismail speaks to the Jordan Times on the economic and distributional challenges from climate change in Jordan

September 6, 2022
Presentation to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on Female Employment and Labor Force Participation in Jordan

Presentation by Rayah Al-Farah, Economist at IMF Resident Representative Office in Jordan, during a workshop with CSOs as part of the engagement process during the 4th review and Article IV consultation in-person mission. Despite relatively high education levels, female participation rate are low and unemployment high. Structural variables as well as regulations help explain the gap in participation rates between men and women in Jordan.

May 23, 2022
Presentation to Jordan International Non-Government Organizations Forum

Presentation by Kareem Ismail, IMF Resident Representative in Jordan

February 28, 2022

Jordan and the IMF

Jordan: Retail Central Bank Digital Currency Exploration

February 23, 2023

Author/Editor:Natsuki Tsuda | Marianne Bechara | Stephanie Forte | Kathleen Kao | Shuji Kobayakawa | Ashley Lannquist | Frankosiligi Solomon
Series:High Level Summary Technical Assistance Report No. 2023/001
Jordan: Technical Assistance Report-High Level Summary Report - Retail CBDC Exploration

February 22, 2023

Series:Country Report No. 2023/095
Jordan: Fifth Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Jordan

January 26, 2023

Series:Country Report No. 2023/049
IMF Executive Board Concludes Fifth Review Under Jordan’s Extended Fund Facility Arrangement

December 22, 2022

IMF Executive Board Concludes Fifth Review Under Jordan’s Extended Fund Facility Arrangement
IMF Executive Board Concludes 2022 Review of the Safeguards Assessments Policy

December 16, 2022

IMF 2022 Review of the Safeguards Assessments Policy

Regional Economic Outlook

October 12, 2022

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