Vice President Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has held discussions with heads of International Monetary Fund (IMF) country and regional offices in Africa, using the engagement to reflect on Ghana’s economic journey amid growing global concerns over debt sustainability and development financing.

The meeting, held on January 20, offered the Vice President an opportunity to present Ghana’s improving macroeconomic outlook and to place the country’s recovery within the context of wider continental and global economic developments.

Prof Opoku-Agyemang observed that Ghana’s current economic conditions differ significantly from those of the recent past, pointing to notable gains such as single-digit inflation, increased stability of the Cedi, and stronger real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

She stressed that these improvements were not merely reflected in macroeconomic data, but were increasingly being felt across the broader economy.

According to the Vice President, Ghana is entering a new phase marked by cautious optimism and determination, driven by reforms that are nationally owned and supported, rather than imposed by the IMF, and sustained by the country’s readiness to take difficult but necessary policy decisions.

While acknowledging the continued importance of international financial institutions on the African continent, she noted that recent global and regional developments highlight Africa’s growing capacity and confidence to chart its own development path.

Prof Opoku-Agyemang emphasised that this emerging self-assurance does not undermine the value of partnerships, but rather calls for cooperation that is mutually beneficial and aligned with Africa’s development priorities.

Reaffirming the stance of President John Dramani Mahama, she said Ghana’s engagement with the IMF must move beyond emergency support arrangements toward more balanced and forward-looking partnerships.

She further noted that although Africa continues to face structural challenges, including high borrowing costs, the continent also presents immense opportunities, particularly through the transformative potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Vice President concluded by reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to strengthening self-reliance, supported by coordinated, fair and development-oriented international cooperation.