The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved an immediate disbursement of about US$832.8 million to Côte d’Ivoire after completing the final reviews of its economic reform and climate resilience programs, citing strong implementation of fiscal and structural reforms that have strengthened macroeconomic stability and reduced debt vulnerabilities.
The IMF Executive Board on Wednesday completed the sixth and final reviews of Côte d’Ivoire’s arrangements under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF), as well as the fifth review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
The decision unlocks SDR 247.8 million under the EFF, SDR 123.9 million under the ECF and SDR 243.9 million under the RSF, bringing the total immediate disbursement to the equivalent of US$832.8 million.
The Fund said Côte d’Ivoire’s implementation of the IMF-supported programs had remained strong, with all end-December 2025 quantitative performance criteria and structural benchmarks met. Authorities also completed all remaining reform measures under the RSF, marking the conclusion of the climate-focused program.
The IMF credited the reforms with helping restore macroeconomic stability, reduce fiscal and external imbalances, improve debt sustainability and strengthen resilience to climate-related shocks.
Under the EFF/ECF program approved in May 2023, valued at about US$3.5 billion, Côte d’Ivoire pursued a revenue-based fiscal consolidation strategy that reduced the budget deficit to the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) ceiling of 3 percent of gross domestic product in 2025.
The country’s current account deficit also narrowed significantly, while public debt declined as a share of GDP for the first time in more than a decade. As a result, Côte d’Ivoire’s risk of debt distress was upgraded from moderate to low under the IMF and World Bank debt sustainability framework for low-income countries.
The RSF arrangement, approved in March 2024 and valued at about US$1.3 billion, supported reforms aimed at strengthening resilience to climate-related risks. Measures completed under the program included climate risk insurance initiatives for agriculture, the adoption of a carbon taxation strategy, policies to encourage cleaner vehicles and progress toward developing two solar photovoltaic power plants.
More Read
Despite a resilient economy, the IMF warned that Côte d’Ivoire faces heightened uncertainty due to weaker global demand and spillovers from the conflict in the Middle East.
Economic growth is projected to slow slightly to 6.0% in 2026 from 6.5% in 2025, while inflation is expected to rise to an average of 3.3 percent after falling to near zero last year. The current account deficit is forecast to widen to 2.3 percent of GDP in 2026 after approaching balance in 2025.
The government plans to temporarily ease its fiscal deficit target to 3.8% of GDP in 2026 from the original goal of 3 percent, citing lower revenues linked to fuel and cocoa markets and the need to protect vulnerable households and maintain priority investments.
IMF Deputy Managing Director Kenji Okamura said the temporary fiscal relaxation was appropriate given the economic effects of the Middle East conflict and welcomed the authorities’ commitment to return to the WAEMU deficit ceiling by 2028.
He urged continued implementation of the country’s Medium-Term Revenue Strategy, including broadening the tax base, modernising tax administration, introducing e-invoicing and strengthening compliance measures.
The IMF also praised Côte d’Ivoire’s prudent debt management and stressed the need to sustain reforms aimed at improving governance, reducing informality, strengthening financial integrity and enhancing the business environment.
More Read
The Fund said the country’s medium-term outlook remains favourable, supported by strong domestic demand, continued growth in the hydrocarbon and mining sectors and reforms under the government’s 2026-2030 National Development Plan, which aims to propel Côte d’Ivoire toward upper-middle-income status.
