Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to release its updated World Economic Outlook in July, offering fresh insight into how the war in the Middle East is reshaping economic conditions across the region. What does the latest analysis tell us about the impact on GDP, inflation, and other leading economic indicators across the region? Beyond the headline figures, how is the conflict affecting food security, remittance flows, and countries already contending with fragility and conflict, including Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria? What longer-term impacts should policymakers and investors be watching for, and how might the Iran war and its aftermath shape the Gulf's efforts at economic diversification? What mitigating measures remain available to affected countries, and what should we make of the outlook for countries with existing IMF lending arrangements?
To explore these questions and more, please join the CSIS Middle East Program for a conversation with Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Mona Yacoubian, CSIS Middle East Program Director and Senior Adviser on Wednesday, July 15 at 3:00 PM EDT.
Jihad Azour served as Lebanon’s Finance Minister in 2005-08, during which time he coordinated the implementation of important reforms, including modernizing the country’s tax and customs systems. Before and since his time as finance minister, he held a wide range of positions in the private sector, including McKinsey and Booz and Co. where he was a Vice-President and Senior Executive Advisor. Prior to joining the IMF in March 2017, he was a Managing Partner at investment firm Inventis Partners.
Mr. Azour holds a PhD in International Finance and a post-graduate degree in International Economics and Finance, both from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris. He also did research on emerging economies and their integration into the global economy as a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard. Mr. Azour has published several books and articles on economic and financial issues and taught extensively.
This event is online-only and will be livestreamed on this webpage.
This event is made possible with support from the CSIS Strategic Initiatives Fund.
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Visit csis.org to find more of our work as we bring bipartisan solutions to the world's greatest challenges.
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to release its updated World Economic Outlook in July, offering fresh insight into how the war in the Middle East is reshaping economic conditions across the region. What does the latest analysis tell us about the impact on GDP, inflation, and other leading economic indicators across the region? Beyond the headline figures, how is the conflict affecting food security, remittance flows, and countries already contending with fragility and conflict, including Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria? What longer-term impacts should policymakers and investors be watching for, and how might the Iran war and its aftermath shape the Gulf's efforts at economic diversification? What mitigating measures remain available to affected countries, and what should we make of the outlook for countries with existing IMF lending arrangements?
To explore these questions and more, please join the CSIS Middle East Program for a conversation with Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Mona Yacoubian, CSIS Middle East Program Director and Senior Adviser on Wednesday, July 15 at 3:00 PM EDT.
Jihad Azour served as Lebanon’s Finance Minister in 2005-08, during which time he coordinated the implementation of important reforms, including modernizing the country’s tax and customs systems. Before and since his time as finance minister, he held a wide range of positions in the private sector, including McKinsey and Booz and Co. where he was a Vice-President and Senior Executive Advisor. Prior to joining the IMF in March 2017, he was a Managing Partner at investment firm Inventis Partners.
Mr. Azour holds a PhD in International Finance and a post-graduate degree in International Economics and Finance, both from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris. He also did research on emerging economies and their integration into the global economy as a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard. Mr. Azour has published several books and articles on economic and financial issues and taught extensively.
This event is online-only and will be livestreamed on this webpage.
This event is made possible with support from the CSIS Strategic Initiatives Fund.
---------------------------------------------
A nonpartisan institution, CSIS is the top national security think tank in the world.
Visit csis.org to find more of our work as we bring bipartisan solutions to the world's greatest challenges.
Want to see more videos and virtual events? Subscribe to this channel and turn on notifications: https://cs.is/2dCfTve
Follow CSIS on:
• Twitter: twitter.com/csis
• Facebook: facebook.com/CSIS.org
• Instagram: instagram.com/csis
