World Bank in Crisis-Aid Talks With 30 to 40 Countries as IMF Meetings Open in Bangkok

SentiSense · Published Oct 11, 2026, 4:40 AM ET · Updated Oct 11, 2026, 12:46 PM ET

World Bank President Ajay Banga told Reuters the bank is in discussions with 30 to 40 countries about crisis aid to cushion energy shocks from the Middle East war, ahead of the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok this week. Few countries have tapped the bank's initial $25 billion facility so far, while the IMF has warned that oil near $100 a barrel and rising public debt are clouding the outlook.

Finance ministers and central bankers are gathering in Bangkok for the IMF and World Bank annual meetings, which open this week with the Middle East war, high debt levels and energy costs expected to dominate the agenda. World Bank President Ajay Banga told Reuters in an interview that the bank is in discussions with 30 to 40 countries about potential crisis aid to help them manage energy shocks.

Demand for that support has been modest so far. Banga said few countries have sought the initial $25 billion the bank set aside, which it says could be expanded to $100 billion, and that the global economy has proved resilient thanks to AI investment and adjustments in oil supply and demand. The World Bank estimates developing countries owe external creditors about $400 billion in 2026, with interest making up about a third of that.

The IMF has set a cautious tone. In remarks in Singapore on Oct. 7, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva pointed to crude prices near $100 a barrel and warned that global public debt is on track to exceed 100% of GDP before the end of the decade. The Fund's last published forecast, in July, put 2026 global growth at 3.0%, and an updated outlook has not yet been released.

For markets, the meetings are a read on how policymakers plan to absorb the energy shock. Watch for the IMF's revised growth forecasts, any expansion of World Bank crisis facilities and requests for support from oil-importing economies.