Madam Christine Madeleine Odette Lagarde, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will pay a visit to Ghana from December 16 to 18, for bilateral talks with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The visit comes weeks ahead of the end of the country’s three-year IMF programme and marked an appreciation of the country’s policy direction and solid economic fundamentals.
Mr Pius Enam Hadzide, a Deputy Minister of Information, who announced this at the bi-weekly media encounter, in Accra, on Wednesday, said Madam Lagarde’s visit was an acknowledgement of the fiscal rules implemented by Government, which ensures irreversibility, and signalled the nation’s readiness to do business and welcome investment.
“The visit by Madam Lagarde has the potential to unlock for us as a nation good coupon rate on the International Bonds Market. “It is our hope that the visit by the IMF Boss will further strengthen the cordial relations between Ghana and the IMF’s economic policies,” Mr Hadzide stressed.
On Monday, December 17, the IMF Boss would participate in the Future of Work in Sub-Saharan Africa Conference in Accra. The conference, the Deputy Minister said, would afford an opportunity to the IMF Boss to engage in thought leaders and influencers from the Sub-Saharan Africa region.
Mr Hadzide stated that the conference sought to generate debate on the Future of Work in the Sub-region and the policies required to create jobs for Africa’s growing population. Additionally, it would discuss how the Sub-region could manage and leverage the impact of technological change, demographics, climate change and the cause of globalisation.
The IMF General Manager would also hold bilateral talks with President Akufo-Addo, at the Jubilee House, the Seat of Government. She would also have launch with some young Ghanaian women entrepreneurs, who were doing marvellously well in their fields of work.
On Tuesday, December 18, the IMF Boss is expected to deliver a keynote address at a forum in Accra, which would be attended by officials and representatives from government agencies, the Central Bank, private sector, civil society organizations, think tanks and NGOs.
Madam Lagarde will leave Accra on Tuesday, December 18, for South Africa to embark on a four-nation tour.