The Gambia reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on reviews of its Extended Credit Facility and Resilience and Sustainability Facility programs that would release SDR 20.73mn, or about $28mn, the IMF said on October 30. Total disbursements under the two programs would rise to about $142mn, and the Fund projected economic growth of 5.1% in both 2026 and 2027, according to the statement.
Analysis: The IMF raised its 2026 growth forecast to 5.1% from 4.7% in July, closer to the central bank's 5.8% projection and the finance ministry's 5.6%. All eight end-June performance criteria were met, but tax revenue fell modestly short of an indicative target, underscoring collection challenges. The additional financing is not yet assured: disbursement requires Executive Board approval of the reviews and completion of agreed prior actions. No board meeting date has been announced. Finance Minister Seedy Keita expects the program's final review in spring 2027.
Source: International Monetary Fund, IMF press release 26/343, October 30, 2026 (statement text as republished by Mirage News), On completion of reviews (staff-level agreement October 30, 2026) and Cumulative, after 6th ECF / 3rd RSF reviews and 2026 and End-June 2026; International Monetary Fund, IMF Country Report No. 26/175, Press Release (July 6, 2026), 2026; Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS), GBoS data portal key-indicator ticker, September 2026; Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG), CBG Monetary Policy Committee press release, August 20, 2026, 2026