YEREVAN, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a new three-year Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) for Armenia worth about 175 million U.S. dollars, the Fund announced Wednesday.
The decision follows the IMF's completion of its 2025 economic assessment of Armenia. After reviewing progress under the previous program, the executive board closed that arrangement early and approved the new 36-month SBA.
Armenia will immediately gain access to roughly 25 million dollars, while the remaining funds will be released in stages following regular semi-annual reviews.
The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) said in a press release that the arrangement supports continuity in reforms, preserves macroeconomic stability, and provides insurance against external risks.
According to the IMF, Armenia's economy has demonstrated strong performance in recent years despite global uncertainty. Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by nearly 9 percent annually on average over the past three years and is projected to remain solid at about 5 percent in 2025 and 5.5 percent in 2026.
The CBA was commended for its upgraded monetary policy framework, which the IMF says will strengthen inflation control. The country's flexible exchange rate and healthy reserve levels remain key tools for absorbing external shocks. ■