## Press Release: Statement by the IMF mission chief for Haiti on the impact of higher food prices

_IMF News, April 25, 2008_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Press Release: Statement by the IMF mission chief for Haiti on the impact of higher food prices](https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2015/09/14/01/49/pr0891)

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## Bibliographic details
- Published: April 25, 2008

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### Visit and consultations
- Press Release No. 08/91
- Date of publication: April 25, 2008
- Mission chief: Mr. Andreas Bauer
- Mission visit dates: April 22-24 (visited Port-au-Prince)
- Meetings held with:
  - President Réné Préval
  - Minister of Economy and Finance Daniel Dorsainvil
  - Central Bank Governor Charles Castel
  - Minister of Planning and External Cooperation Jean-Max Bellerive
  - Other representatives of the government and the donor community in Haiti

### Assessment of impact
- Haiti is described as a "large net importer of food."
- The mission chief stated: "Haiti has been particularly affected by the sharp rise in international prices, which continues to impose enormous hardship on the country's population."
- The shock has had a "significant impact on domestic inflation" and "caused a widening of the trade deficit."
- The IMF expressed being "deeply concerned about the social impact of higher food prices."

### IMF response, support, and policy stance
- The IMF is "firmly committed to support efforts to ease this burden, while safeguarding economic stability and maintaining focus on continued economic and social progress in Haiti."
- The IMF supports the government's response strategy that seeks to:
  - provide immediate relief from higher food prices
  - boost agricultural output
- The IMF is "working closely with donors and the authorities to review Haiti's need for increased financial assistance."
- The IMF will "adapt the macroeconomic framework of the PRGF-supported program to reflect the external shock."

### Next steps and program actions
- "An IMF mission team will travel shortly to Haiti to finalize this work and conduct the third review of the program."

*Source: Press Release No. 08/91, April 25, 2008, International Monetary Fund.*

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## References

- [Haiti and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/HTI/index.htm)
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- [PRESS CENTER](http://presscenter.imf.org/)
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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2015/09/14/01/49/pr0891_