Guinean Finance Minister João Fadiá has welcomed the approval by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of its second assessment of the economic adjustment programme for Guinea-Bissau, Lusa reports.

Approval is one of the keys to unlock future lending by the IMF to Guinea-Bissau, the Portuguese news agency quotes Mr Fadiá as saying last week.

The report says the assessment remarks on “satisfactory progress towards establishing a strong track record of implementing policies and reforms, a key requirement to advance the possibility of an agreement on an Extended Credit Facility in 2022.”

Lusa quotes Mr Fadiá as commenting: “The assessment was positive, thanks to the effort made so far, which, in principle, will allow us, when the third evaluation is completed, the possibility of having a financial programme with the IMF.”