IMF Supports Cameroon With FCFA 82B To Assuage COVID-19 Impact

By Neville Mesumbe

The International Monetary Fund, IMF, has supported Cameroon’s Government with FCFA 82 billion to manage the impact of COVID-19 in the country.

According to the Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, Mitsuhiro Furusawa, COVID-19 pandemic has continued to pose significant challenges in Cameroon. These challenges according to the financial body, includes deteriorating growth prospects and worsening Cameroon’s external and fiscal position.

“In response to the shocks, the authorities have continued to implement strong and decisive actions to limit the spread of the virus and its economic and social impact, including the adoption of a three-year preparedness and response plan’’ Mr. Mitsuhiro said.

The Acting Chair equally disclosed that Cameroon authorities have reiterated their firm commitment to an effective and transparent use of public funds and to ensure that Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) financing and resources freed up by the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) are efficiently spent on addressing the pandemic crisis.

“The authorities have been proactive in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and are stepping up their efforts to contain the spread of the disease, boost health and social protection spending, and provide temporary support to affected businesses and households. In that regard, they adopted a series of measures including a revised budget with a larger deficit to accommodate automatic stabilizers and crisis-related emergency spending; a three-year preparedness and response (P&R) plan against the pandemic; and they created a COVID Special Account,” IMF released read.

This is the second disbursement under the RCF to help Cameroon address urgent balance of payment needs stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.