SRMED
Englishعربي
Englishعربي
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance has welcomed the International Monetary Fund’s assessment that the kingdom’s economy remains resilient despite regional turmoil, framing the statement as evidence of the strength of the country’s macroeconomic foundations. The ministry’s reaction came after IMF experts concluded their 2026 Article IV consultation discussions and said Saudi Arabia had shown notable strength in the face of the war in the Middle East.
According to the IMF mission report, the Saudi economy has held up better than many of its peers because of strong fundamentals, including low government debt, large foreign reserves and a banking system positioned to absorb shocks. The fund said these buffers have helped the kingdom manage the impact of regional tensions, including disruptions to trade and shipping routes, while maintaining overall financial stability.
The IMF also noted that Saudi Arabia has been able to limit the effects of reduced oil shipments by rerouting exports through its East-West pipeline and Red Sea ports. That flexibility, the fund said, reflects the country’s energy and logistics infrastructure and its broader economic diversification efforts.
At the same time, the IMF said the conflict has weighed on non-oil activity and business confidence, and it projected growth in 2026 at about 2%, lower than its earlier April forecast of 3.1%. The fund said a near-term recovery could follow if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz normalizes in the coming months, which would ease pressure on trade and investor sentiment.
The Saudi banking sector, according to the IMF, remains well placed to withstand external shocks. The fund also praised the Saudi central bank, known as SAMA, for taking proactive steps to safeguard liquidity and monitor credit conditions, while saying the riyal’s peg to the U.S. dollar continues to support financial stability.
The ministry’s appreciation of the IMF’s comments underscores the importance Saudi officials place on international recognition of the kingdom’s economic resilience, especially as the government continues to pursue its economic diversification agenda. For Saudi Arabia, the IMF’s assessment matters not only as a snapshot of current stability, but also as a signal to investors and markets watching how the region’s conflict could affect growth, spending and confidence in the months ahead.