Joint Statement by the Heads of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group and the World Food Programme
IMF News, April 8, 2026
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- Joint Statement by the Heads of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group and the World Food Programme
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Bibliographic details
- Published: April 8, 2026
Meeting and statement metadata
- Press Release No. 26/112
- Date: April 8, 2026
- Location: Washington DC
- Issuers: Heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank Group (WBG) and the World Food Programme (WFP)
- Media relations: IMF Communications Department; PRESS OFFICER: Camila Perez; Phone: +1 202 623-7100; Email: MEDIA@IMF.org; @IMFSpokesperson
Main findings on economic and food-security impacts
- The Middle East war is "upending lives and livelihoods in the region and beyond."
- The conflict "has already triggered one of the largest disruptions to global energy markets in modern history."
- "Sharp increases in oil, gas, and fertilizer prices, together with transport bottlenecks, will inevitably lead to rising food prices and food insecurity."
- The burden will fall most heavily on "the world’s most vulnerable populations, particularly in low‑income, import‑dependent economies."
- "Spikes in fuel prices and potential sharp increases in food prices are especially concerning where fiscal space is constrained and debt burdens are already high, reducing governments’ ability to protect vulnerable households."
Institutional response and commitments
- "Our institutions will continue to monitor developments closely and coordinate the use of all available tools to support those impacted by the crisis."
- In accordance with respective mandates and building on existing response mechanisms, the institutions will:
- provide support to safeguard lives and livelihoods;
- lay the foundations for a resilient recovery that delivers stability, growth and jobs.
Mandates and roles (as stated)
- International Monetary Fund (IMF):
- "The IMF is a global organization that works to support economic growth and prosperity for all of its 191 member countries."
- Mission includes supporting "economic policies that promote financial stability and monetary cooperation" to increase "productivity, job creation, and economic well-being."
- Governance: "The IMF is governed by and accountable to its member countries."
- Further information: https://www.imf.org
- World Bank Group (WBG):
- Mission: "works to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet through a combination of financing, knowledge, and expertise."
- Composition: "the World Bank, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)."
- Further information: www.worldbank.org, ida.worldbank.org/en/home, www.miga.org, www.ifc.org, and www.icsid.worldbank.org.
- World Food Programme (WFP):
- Role: "the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and recurring shocks."
- Further information: www.wfp.org.
Media contacts
- IMF: media@IMF.org
- World Bank Group: press@worldbank.org
- WFP: wfp.media@wfp.org
- IMF press center note: "The IMF Press Center is a password-protected site for working journalists."
Source: Joint Statement by the Heads of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group and the World Food Programme (Press Release No. 26/112), April 8, 2026.