Pakistan will chair the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) in 2027, returning to the position for the first time since 1953, the country's Ministry of Economic Affairs said on Friday.

Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, who also serves as Pakistan's governor to the World Bank, was formally announced as the incoming chair during the plenary session of the 2026 WBG-IMF Annual Meetings in Bangkok.

The ministry described the appointment as a "historic milestone". It said the chairmanship would allow Islamabad to contribute to global economic and development discussions and encourage constructive dialogue among member countries.

The annual meetings, held from October 12 to 18, have brought together more than 15,000 participants from 191 countries.

Pakistan continues to rely on financial assistance from the IMF under two programmes: a USD 7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and a USD 1.4 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).

The EFF aims to help Pakistan address its balance-of-payments needs and support economic reforms. The RSF provides longer-term financing to help the country tackle climate-related risks and strengthen its resilience.

Pakistan is also expected to receive around USD 1.2 billion from the IMF, subject to approval by the fund's Executive Board. The expected disbursement follows an agreement between IMF staff and Pakistani authorities on the latest reviews of both loan programmes.