The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently presented the regional economic outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa in Abidjan, as contained in the April 2025 edition of its report titled "A Disrupted Recovery."
During a ceremony organized on this occasion, attention was drawn to the strategic reforms that need to be undertaken to return to resilient and sustainable growth, while also taking stock of the regional economic dynamics.
Speaking at the event, Amadou Sy, Deputy Director of the IMF’s Africa Department, stated that Sub-Saharan Africa recorded economic growth exceeding 2024 forecasts, noting that this was the result of significant reform efforts undertaken in the 45 countries of the region.
However, this momentum could be slowed in 2025, particularly due to the impact of changes in global trade policies, falling commodity prices, and geopolitical tensions, he lamented.
The IMF has structured its strategy around three positive trends: improved access to markets, rapid changes in the global environment, and progress in structural reforms, as well as three major challenges to address: external shocks, income stagnation, and youth unemployment.
Three priorities for public action are also considered in the IMF’s strategy, namely: developing the private sector through governance, infrastructure, and skills; job creation by easing barriers in the formal sector and promoting the informal sector; and strengthening resilience through regional commercial and financial integration.
On his part, the Ivorian Minister of Finance and Budget, Adama Coulibaly, praised the relevance of the IMF report before providing a detailed overview of the growth performance in his country.
In this regard, he mentioned that Côte d'Ivoire achieved economic growth of 6% in 2024, with projections of 6.5% in 2025, which is 2.7 percentage points above the regional average, explaining that this performance is driven by the dynamism of the extractive industry, strategic investments in productive sectors, and the development of the private sector.