Press Release No. 15/79

Press Release: IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton to Visit Mauritius, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

February 26, 2015

Mr. David Lipton, First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will visit Mauritius March 2-3, South Africa March 3-5, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) March 5-7.

In Mauritius, he will attend a conference on “Managing Capital Flows: Lessons from Emerging Markets for Frontier Economies.” In South Africa, he will meet with policymakers, representatives of the trade unions and the business community. In the DRC, he will meet with senior representatives of government, donors and the private sector.

“My visit will provide an opportunity to enhance the IMF’s engagements with frontier economies, while also strengthening our partnership with South Africa and the DRC,” Mr. Lipton said ahead of his trip.

“Private capital flows to frontier markets are on the rise. The conference in Mauritius will provide a forum for policymakers, academics and market participants from frontier and emerging markets to share their experiences on how they can reap the benefits and mitigate the risks concerning capital flows. South Africa has made substantial progress in its first 20 years of democracy, achieving much improved living standards for its citizens, but now faces challenges to raise its growth rate and create more jobs. Despite a challenging external and domestic environment that includes weak social indicators, the DRC’s economy continues to show resilience with positive trends in key macroeconomic indicators.”

In Port Louis, Mr. Lipton will deliver opening remarks at the conference. He will also deliver a lecture at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and meet with University students in the DRC.