June 14 (SeeNews) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) plans to open a regional resident representative office for the Western Balkans in Vienna, in order to strengthen its relationship with Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, it said on Friday.
The new office will open in the fall of 2019 and will help maintain a close engagement with the four countries as well as with donors, international institutions, including the World Bank, and the Austrian government, an important trade and development partner of the Western Balkan region, the IMF said in a statement.
"This new outpost in Vienna will be an important part of our ongoing relationship with these four countries, as they pursue European Union accession,” said IMF deputy managing director Tao Zhang. "Establishing it as a regional office is cost-effective and also helps us keep close to our members in the region and leading development partners."
The new office will be headed by Stephanie Eble, currently the Fund’s mission chief for Kosovo, who will oversee the local teams in the existing offices in Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia, which will be maintained, the IMF said.
Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which have active IMF programs, will remain with their own representatives, the Fund added.