In a move expected to provide much-needed financial relief, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has granted approval for a US$3 billion, three-year extended credit facility for Ghana.
The Fund in a note on its website indicated that its Executive Board had on
Wednesday, May 17, 2023, approved a Special Drawing Rights of 2.242 billion
equivalent to US$3 billion.
“The IMF Executive Board approved, on May 17th, an SDR 2.242 billion (about
US$3 billion) 36-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement for Ghana.
This decision enabled an immediate disbursement equivalent to SDR 451.4 million
(about US$600 million). The rest is expected to be disbursed in tranches every
six months, following program reviews approved by the IMF Executive Board,”
statement read in part.
The move comes five days after the formal announcement of an Official Creditors
Committee (OCC) instituted by the Paris Club and headed by China and France.
The formation of this committee paved the way for the IMF’s blessings.
The loan agreement, which was reached at the staff level in December, has
attained Board-level approval in record time.
In comparison to Zambia, experts anticipate that Ghana’s debt restructuring
process will likely proceed more swiftly and smoothly. This optimism stems from
the fact that China, the largest bilateral creditor of Zambia, holds a smaller
proportion of Ghana’s debt. China has faced accusations of causing delays in
Zambia’s debt restructuring, allegations that it vehemently denies.
The time elapsed between securing a staff-level agreement on the $3 billion
loan and obtaining IMF board approval for Ghana amounts to 156 days. In
contrast, Zambia faced a lengthier timeline of 271 days, primarily due to the
extended period required to secure bilateral creditor participation in the
process.
This, however, comes as official data reveals that approximately US$5.4 billion
of debt owed to official creditors has been identified for restructuring.
Furthermore, the nation’s debt to private overseas creditors amounts to US$14.6
billion, which is also earmarked for restructuring, leading some analysts to
suggest that debt restructuring talks could remain lengthy.
Nevertheless, analysts expect the markets to respond favourably to the
announcement.
As Ghana now moves forward with its IMF-approved loan, the nation seeks to
implement comprehensive measures to address its debt burden and stabilize its
economy.
The success of its debt restructuring talks will play a vital role in
determining Ghana’s path toward financial recovery and sustainable growth.
Source: B&FT