(260417) -- WASHINGTON, April 17, 2026 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Director for the Middle East and Central Asia Jihad Azour (C) takes questions at a press conference on regional economic outlook for the Middle East and Central Asia in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 16, 2026. Economic growth in the MENAP region (Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan) is projected to slow to 1.4 percent in 2026 due to regional conflict, a downgrade of 2.3 percentage points from October 2025 projections, according to an IMF report released on Thursday. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
