Press Release No. 08/280

Press Release: Visit by Antoinette Sayeh, Director of the IMF's African Department, to Burundi

November 11, 2008

Ms. Antoinette Sayeh, Director of the African Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), visited Burundi from November 7-10, 2008. During her visit, Ms. Sayeh met with President Pierre Nkurunziza; the Second Vice-President, Gabriel Ntisezerana; the President of the National Assembly, Pie Ntavyohanyuma; the Ministers responsible for Finance, National Education, and Agriculture; the Vice-Minister in charge of the Fight against AIDS; and the Governor of the Bank of the Republic of Burundi.

During her visit, the Director of the IMF's African Department was impressed with the significant progress achieved in Burundi under the IMF-supported economic program, including with respect to the completion point triggers under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Ms. Sayeh would like to congratulate the Burundi authorities on the headway achieved thus far, and she urges them to persevere with their economic and social reforms.

At the same time, Ms. Sayeh emphasized the importance of taking all necessary steps to deepen structural reforms and further strengthen good governance. These efforts will help the government to attract continued financial support from Burundi's development partners.

The Director of the IMF's African Department wishes to reaffirm the Fund's support for the government of Burundi's economic and social reform program, which is designed to promote economic growth, increase resources for social sectors and for poverty reduction, and make progress with regard to structural reform.