The IMF forecasts a 1.3% economic contraction in the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan region, following 3.3% growth in 2025, said Jihad Azour, its Middle East and Central Asia director. (AFP pic)BANGKOK: Prolonged war in the Middle East and further disruptions to energy production, shipping routes or critical infrastructure pose the biggest risk to economies in the Middle East and Central Asia, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday.

Jihad Azour, the IMF's director for the Middle East and Central Asia, told reporters the war was imposing a highly uneven economic shock to the broader region, with directly affected states under severe pressure.

"The outlook depends critically on how quickly energy production and trade normalize, and on countries’ ability to preserve macroeconomic stability," Azour said at a news conference during the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Bangkok. The IMF will release a fuller outlook for the region on Oct 22.