Background
The IMF’s second African Regional Technical Assistance Centre in West Africa (AFRITAC West 2), is a collaborative effort financed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), recipient countries and several bilateral and multilateral partners. It originated from the IMF’s response to African leaders’ call on the international community to increase capacity development (CD) to Africa and focus it more sharply on capacity building in core macroeconomic and financial management areas. The main focus of AFRITAC West 2 is to provide CD support to six Anglo-and Lusophone West African countries (Cabo Verde, Ghana-host country, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia). This regional center, located in Accra, is governed by a Steering Committee (SC) composed of representatives of AFRITAC West 2 member countries, development partners, and the IMF. The activities undertaken by the center follow an annual workplan, which is reviewed and approved by the SC and retains some flexibility to reflect emerging needs and priorities. Staffing at AFRITAC West 2 is tailored to the needs and priorities of participating countries. The Center currently has seven resident advisors that implement CD in the following areas: Revenue Administration (Tax and Customs), Public Financial Management, Macroeconomic Statistics, Monetary Operations and Payments Systems and Banking Supervision. AFRITAC West 2 is completing its second financing phase and will start its third 5-year program (Phase III) in August 2024. During Phase II, the center has administered over 600 CD missions, trainings and attachments to member countries. These were in line with objectives, outcomes and milestones entrenched in a results-based management (RBM) framework, and in cooperation with other RTACS and development partners in the region. Five years of support to country authorities and institutions, albeit marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to key achievements in enforcing strong and efficient systems in the core macroeconomic and financial management areas. Going into Phase III, the center will continue to support members in core areas, tailored to specific country needs. The focus will be on country ownership of CD interventions and the implementation of recommendations within a results-oriented approach, and the achievement of set outcomes towards the larger objective of macroeconomic growth and stability. Innovations in CD will include the addition of new workstreams in Tax Policy, Debt Management, and Governance/Anti-Corruption, leveraging regional expertise and knowledge exchange, expanding the scope to include emerging areas in climate change, gender inclusivity, and cybersecurity, and augmenting CD modalities with technology to improve the quality and impact of AFW2 support. The center will also aim to strengthen regional and development partner coordination, as outlined in the Phase III Program Document, endorsed by the Steering Committee.