TALINE KORANCHELIAN WAFA AMR Senior Communications Officer, Communications Department MS. AMR: Welcome, everyone, for joining the press briefing on the Middle East and Central Asia Regional Economic Outlook. I am Wafa Amr, from the IMF's Communications Department. We have with us today Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, who is joining remotely. With me in the studio is Taline Koranchelian, Deputy Director in the Middle East and Central Asia Department. Interpretation is available in Arabic and French for those who need it. Jihad, we will turn to you first, to give some opening remarks, and then we will take questions.