DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The International Monetary Fund is hoping to strengthen its voice in the Middle East by launching a blog in Arabic.

The first post by the Washington–based organization's Mideast head Masood Ahmed on Wednesday links the Arab Spring uprisings with a call for more inclusive economic policies in the region.

The IMF says it hopes to foster debate and offer potential economic solutions in the region, which has vast oil wealth but also suffers from high unemployment, widespread corruption and a lack of transparency.

The IMF also has blogs in English and Spanish.

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Online: http://blog–montada.imf.org/