WASHINGTON, Jan 9 (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva will meet with Egyptian authorities on Tuesday during their visit to Washington, an IMF spokesperson said, amid ongoing talks about expanding Egypt's $3 billion loan program.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will also meet with Egyptian finance officials on Tuesday, the Treasury Department said, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits the Middle East and works to prevent the Israel-Gaza war from expanding into a wider regional conflict.
Egypt, already struggling with high foreign debt levels, has been hit hard by the war in the neighbouring Gaza Strip, which threatens to disrupt tourism bookings and natural gas imports, as well as recent attacks on Red Sea ships.
The country's $3 billion loan program agreed with the IMF in December 2022 faltered after it failed to let its currency float freely or make progress on the sale of state assets.
The IMF delayed disbursements of about $700 million expected in 2023, but in December said it was in talks to expand the $3 billion program given economic risk from the Israel-Gaza war.
The IMF spokesperson provided no further details about the meeting.
The Treasury said Yellen would meet with Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maait; Rania Al-Mashat, minister of international cooperation and top central banker Hassan Abdalla.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
