The below is attributable to Spokesperson Rebecca Chalif:
On March 10, Administrator Samantha Power met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva to discuss Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the devastating impacts the war is having in Ukraine as well as in countries around the world.
The two discussed how Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of agricultural inputs and fertilizers and how many countries in the Middle East and Africa import a large share of their wheat and corn from Russia and Ukraine. Administrator Power shared insights from her most recent conversation with USAID Mission Directors around the world and the concerns they shared about the impacts, including food security concerns, that Russia’s war would continue to cause in the assistance they are working to provide globally. Georgieva shared that the IMF has already begun work and consultations with countries around the world that will soon feel strong negative impacts due to the conflict.
They agreed that USAID and the IMF will continue to stay in close coordination as they assess the country by country impacts caused by Russia’s senseless war in Ukraine and work together to address these widespread negative impacts.