Côte d’Ivoire: IMF Praises Country’s Economic Performance

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) resident representative in Côte d’Ivoire, Aminata Touré, has praised the country’s economic performance over the past three years as the government’s economic and financial programme with the Fund comes to an end.

Touré met President Alassane Ouattara at the presidential palace in Abidjan on Tuesday, as she prepares to leave the country at the end of her assignment. She described the 2023-2026 programme supported by the IMF as a “clear success”, saying key macroeconomic imbalances had been addressed.

One of the main achievements highlighted was the improvement in public finances. Côte d’Ivoire’s budget deficit has been brought down to within the 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) threshold set by the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).

The IMF also pointed to an improvement in the country’s debt position. According to Touré, Côte d’Ivoire’s risk of debt distress, which was considered moderate at the beginning of the programme, is now assessed as low.

“Very few countries in the sub-region have achieved this level of performance,” Touré said, highlighting the progress made by Côte d’Ivoire in restoring macroeconomic stability.

The results come after several years of strong economic growth. Côte d’Ivoire’s economy grew by 6.5% in 2025, while the budget deficit was reduced to 3% of GDP, according to figures presented during the programme’s latest review.

The economic and financial programme, launched in 2023 and completed in 2026, was designed to reduce macroeconomic imbalances, strengthen financial stability and support economic reforms.

Touré’s meeting with Ouattara also marked the end of her mission in Côte d’Ivoire. Discussions focused on the results of cooperation between the country and the IMF and the progress achieved during the three-year programme.

For Abidjan, the indicators provide a positive backdrop as the government continues to consolidate public finances while implementing its 2026-2030 National Development Plan.

The challenge will now be to preserve these gains while maintaining sufficiently strong economic growth to finance investment and the country’s development priorities.