The governance priorities of DR Congo related to free basic education and universal health coverage are in line with the social inclusion logic of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This is what the IMF Executive Director for Africa II Group, Mohamed Lemine Raghani, believes.

« DR Congo makes the education and health sectors one of its priorities, I believe these are things that are in harmony and not in contradiction with us at the IMF, » he told the Congolese press in Washington DC.

Although the IMF focuses on macroeconomic stability and on everything that can strengthen economic growth in order to make it sustainable and inclusive, senior officials of the Bretton Woods institution agree that not all of the Congolese Government’s policies that fall within this framework are at odds with the commitment made with the IMF.

In fact, allocations to the health, education, social and anti-corruption sectors are taken into account in the design of the programme on which the IMF could provide support in the event of a formal agreement being concluded.

Mohammed Lamine insisted: « These things are being discussed with the Government to reach a good consensus that reconciles macroeconomic stability, growth and social development.  »

Since the decision to disburse World Bank support depends on the IMF’s Comfort Note, DR Congo’s approach tends to seek the involvement of the IMF to accelerate the process at the level of its sister institution.

For the Government, the ideal situation would be for these funds to be available, as part of the World Bank’s support, at the beginning of the 2020 financial year. This question will certainly be discussed during the series of exchanges that José Sele Yalaghuli and his delegation, including the Governor of the Central Bank of Congo, will have on Thursday 17 October 2019.

As a reminder, the World Bank has expressed its ambition to align $1 billion, non-repayable, to be released in two tranches to finance basic education and universal health. WB President David Malpass told the Congolese Head of State during his recent visit to Washinton DC.

Long before, at the 74th meeting of the UN General Assembly, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi announced the beginning of the materialization of his Government’s commitment to free basic education, the monthly burden of which weighs between USD 25 and 37 million.

Thus, the share of expenditure allocated to this sector will rise from 8% to nearly 20% of the State budget in 2020, i.e. a level close to the standards recommended by UNESCO.

He also reiterated his determination to make progress on universal health coverage, saying that more than 8 million more Congolese will need to have access to a credible health coverage system by the end of next year.

Eric TSHIKUMA, Special Envoy