Argentina's Milei meets with IMF at G7 after greeting Biden

Argentina's Milei meets with IMF at G7 after greeting Biden

Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei met the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday on the sidelines of the G7 summit, the most important international forum he has attended since taking office in December.

Milei met with IMF head Kristalina Georgieva at the summit in Italy a day after the fund approved the eighth review of Argentina's $44 billion extended fund facility agreement, clearing the way for the country to draw $800 million to help drive its economic recovery.

"We remain committed to continue to support (the Milei) administration's efforts to durably restore stability and create a more prosperous, stable, and market-oriented economy," Georgieva wrote in a post on X.

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Milei, a pro-market economist and former TV pundit, is battling to turn around a major economic crisis which he inherited when he took office in December.

He also briefly met U.S. President Joe Biden for the first time since taking office and embraced his fellow countryman Pope Francis, with whom he has previously clashed.

Milei was also scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is hosting the summit, as well as World Bank President Ajay Banga.

Although not scheduled on his official agenda, Milei could possibly meet with Brazil's leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, an important trading partner whom the Argentine head of state has repeatedly criticized.