Press Release No. 09/19

Press Release: IMF Managing Director Discusses Tanzania Conference with African Ambassadors

January 29, 2009

Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from about 40 Sub-Saharan African countries met today with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who discussed with them the plans for the high-level conference "Changes: Successful Partnerships For Africa's Growth Challenge," that the IMF and the government of Tanzania will co-host in March 10-11 in Dar es Salaam.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn said that the objective of the conference is to discuss the impact of the financial crisis on Africa and, at the same time, learn from the continent's successful economic experiences in recent years, especially in terms of macroeconomic stability and growth. "The focus of the current financial crisis has been on the advanced and emerging economies, but the impact on Sub-Saharan Africa will be equally severe. The crisis will affect African countries, but the region is in much better shape to weather the crisis than in the past, thanks to several years of responsible economic management."

The conference, which will be attended by Finance Ministers and Central Bank governors from all over Africa, prominent academics, the private sector, and civil society, will be opened by President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and Mr. Strauss-Kahn, who added that the event will also discuss how to strengthen the partnership between Africa and the IMF. "It will be an opportunity to assess what we have learned from past successes as well as what needs to be changed going forward," Mr. Strauss-Kahn said.

For more information, please visit the conference's website, http://www.changes-challenges.org

IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn discusses the upcoming conference, "Changes: Successful Partnerships for Africa's Growth Challenges" with a group of African ambassadors and diplomatic representatives at IMF Headquarters on Thursday, January 29. The conference, to be held March 10-11, 2009 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, will focus on the continent's recent economic successes and on the impact of the financial crisis on Africa. (IMF photo/Stephen Jaffe)
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IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn greets Ambassador Roble Olhaye of Djibouti, Dean of African Ambassadors in U.S., at the start of a meeting at IMF headquarters on January 29, 2009 in Washington on the upcoming conference, "Changes: Successful Partnerships for Africa's Growth Challenges", to be held March 10-11, 2009 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from about 40 Sub-Saharan African countries attended the meeting. (IMF Photo Unit/Stephen Jaffe)
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Press contact
Andreas Adriano
International Monetary Fund
aadriano@imf.org
+1-202-623-4188