The United States has urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to refrain from financing projects and programs that consistently fail to meet their targeted objectives. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that the IMF should focus on its primary mission—macroeconomic stability and financial oversight—rather than expanding into unrelated areas.
Bessent warned that several countries treat IMF support as a recurring source of funding without implementing the necessary policy reforms. He noted that the frequency of repeat borrowing shows that many programs do not achieve their intended outcomes.
He also criticized what he described as a weakening of the IMF’s surveillance role over time and called for a renewed focus on objective, measurable results.
According to him, the Fund should avoid diverting attention toward climate or social policy matters that lie outside its core expertise.
The U.S. further encouraged both the IMF and the World Bank to strengthen their accountability and ensure that their programs deliver tangible benefits for developing nations while maintaining transparency and responsibility to global taxpayers.
