Ecuador and the IMF reached a staff-level agreement on the fifth review of the country’s Extended Fund Facility program, opening the path for a $394 million disbursement. The deal, announced Tuesday, follows meetings between an IMF team led by Patrizia Tumbarello and Ecuadorian authorities in Quito and Washington during February and March. The disbursement remains subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board and confirmation of financing commitments from international partners. The 48-month program, in place since 2024, totals $5 billion — of which $3.33 billion has already been disbursed, representing approximately 66% of the total. [...]