In a bid to strengthen collaboration and discuss Ghana’s economic progress, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, is scheduled to hold talks with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and other high-ranking government officials at the Jubilee House, the seat of Ghana’s presidency.
The meetings, set to take place over the weekend, will also include discussions with the Minister for Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison.
Madam Kristalina Georgieva’s visit comes at a crucial juncture as Ghana is currently in the first year of implementing a three-year IMF programme.
Ghana secured a 3 billion United States dollars IMF extended credit facility (ECF) in 2023 to support the nation’s economic recovery efforts amidst challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the geopolitical armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
President Akufo-Addo, on 1 July 2022, authorized the Minister of Finance at the time, Ken Ofori-Atta, to initiate formal negotiations with the IMF to secure balance of payment support.
Ghana has so far received a total of 1.2 billion United States dollars from the IMF in two payment tranches of 600 million dollars each.
As part of her visit, Madam Georgieva will also attend an Artificial Intelligence (AI) conference jointly organized by the Ministry of Finance and the IMF.
The conference, themed “AI as a Catalyst to Transform Economies in Sub-Saharan Africa,” is scheduled for Monday, 18 March 2024.
In addition to governmental engagements, Madam Georgieva will meet with selected Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and women groups to gain insights into various sectors of Ghana’s economy.
The discussions during Madam Georgieva’s visit aim to explore avenues for strengthening collaboration between Ghana and the IMF to ensure the successful implementation of the current IMF programme, consolidating Ghana’s economic stability, and fostering sustainable growth.
