Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: Mr. Kenji Okamura, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement today in Abidjan at the end of his visit to Côte d'Ivoire:
"I am delighted to be in Côte d'Ivoire. I would like to extend my gratitude to President Ouattara, Vice President Koné, Prime Minister Mambé, Vice Prime Minister Ouattara, Minister Coulibaly, and other senior officials for their warm hospitality.
"Côte d'Ivoire has made remarkable progress in reducing macroeconomic imbalances. Its performance under IMF‑supported programs remains strong, reflecting the authorities' firm commitment to their homegrown reform agenda and to safeguarding stability.
"Looking forward, we agreed that preserving the country's reform momentum will be essential to meet its goal of achieving upper middle-income status.
"We welcomed the government's intention to keep the fiscal deficit within the West African Economic and Monetary Union's ceiling, while allowing for higher investment spending. Ongoing efforts to raise tax revenues, including through implementation of the medium-term revenue strategy, will help in this regard and would broaden the tax base and reduce informality.
"Further progress in social inclusion will help ensure the future prosperity of the people of Côte d'Ivoire and promote broad-based economic growth. Continued improvements in governance and the business environment could further enhance the country's attractiveness as an investment destination.
"Lastly, I reiterated the IMF's unwavering commitment to supporting Côte d'Ivoire. We look forward to continuing our productive partnership in the years ahead."
