International Monetary Fund Staff Concludes Visit to Nigeria

The outlook for 2018 remains challenging, as private sector lending remains low and foreign exchange inflows are mostly short-term

Higher oil prices and portfolio flows have helped strengthen fiscal and external buffers; The outlook for 2018 remains challenging, as private sector lending remains low and foreign exchange inflows are mostly short-term; Action on a coherent set of policies to reduce vulnerabilities and increase growth over the medium term remains…

IMF Staff Completes 2017 Article IV Visit to the Federal Republic of Ethiopia

Real gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have increased by 9 percent in 2016/17

Real gross domestic product is estimated to have increased by 9 percent in 2016/17. Prudent budget execution led to a lower-than-planned fiscal deficit, estimated at 2.5 percent of GDP. To complement the restrictive fiscal stance, monetary policy should also be tightened. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team led by…

IMF Staff Concludes Visit to Kenya

Kenya’s economy has continued to perform well, with real GDP growth reaching 5.9 percent in the first three quarters of 2016, up from 5.6 percent in 2015

End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this…

IMF Staff Completes 2016 Article IV Consultation and First Review of the Precautionary and Liquidity Line Mission to Morocco

In 2016, Moroccan economic growth should slow to between 1.5 and 2 percent

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team led by Nicolas Blancher visited Morocco from November 16 to December 1, 2016, to conduct discussions with the Moroccan authorities on the 2016 Article IV consultation, as well as on the first review under the Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL) arrangement approved in…

Commodities, Rainfall, Instability Biggest Challenges —African Ministers

Rising inflation, drops in currency due to political instability Low commodity prices adding to fiscal pressures Help from international community “paramount” Low commodity prices, climate change, and insecurity are forcing many countries to make significant fiscal adjustments, African finance ministers said during the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C.…

IMF Staff Completes Review Mission to Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: IMF Staff Completes Review Mission to Sierra Leone

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by John Wakeman-Linn visited Freetown during September 14-27, 2016 to conduct the sixth and final review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF).[1] At the conclusion of the visit, Mr. Wakeman-Linn issued the following statement: “Sierra Leone’s economic reforms over the last three years…

IMF Statement on Mozambique

The Managing Director welcomed the initial steps being taken on the agreed reforms and policies

Mr. Gerry Rice, Director of Communications at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement today: “The IMF’s Managing Director Christine Lagarde and Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi met today to discuss the economic challenges that the country is facing. The Managing Director welcomed the initial steps being taken on…

Bridging South Africa’s Economic Divide

David Lipton / Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg

Thank you very much for your kind introduction and the warm welcome from the Witwatersrand community. It is a pleasure to be back in South Africa. Let me begin with a tribute to South Africa’s achievements. This country offers an extraordinary legacy of freedom and reason that is a model…

IMF Staff Team Completes Mission to Côte d’Ivoire

A staff team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Mr. Dan Ghura visited Abidjan from June 24 to July 7, 2016, to negotiate a new three-year economic program that could be supported by the IMF through Arrangements under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Enhanced Credit Facility…

IMF Staff Team Concludes the 2016 Article IV Consultation Mission with the Central African Republic and Reaches Staff-Level Agreement on an Economic Program Supported by an ECF Arrangement

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Samir Jahjah visited Bangui during May 17–27, 2016, to conduct discussions on the 2016 Article IV consultation. The mission also reached staff-level agreement with the authorities, subject to approval by IMF Management and the Executive Board, on an economic program that could…