Abidjan: The International Monetary Fund (IMF), with financial backing from the Governments of Japan and Germany, and in collaboration with regional technical assistance centers (AFRITACs Central and West), organized three editions of the Interregional Seminar on Public Investment Management (SEIGIP) in 2022, 2023, and 2025 in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa. These seminars aimed to enhance public investment management (PIM) frameworks and foster South-South cooperation among the participating nations.
According to International Monetary Fund, the SEIGIP seminars, which brought together approximately 60 senior officials from 21 sub-Saharan African countries, provided a platform to evaluate the impact of IMF’s capacity development initiatives. The first edition of SEIGIP focused on addressing PIM challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the necessity of robust legal and institutional frameworks for effective public investment management.
The second edition of SEIGIP, held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire from May 30 to June 1, 2023, concentrated on a broad spectrum of PIM reforms. Key issues addressed included project appraisal and selection, budgeting and execution, asset management, and fiscal risks. The seminar highlighted best practices in project appraisal, the link between budgeting quality and execution, the importance of sustainable asset management, and methods for mapping and quantifying fiscal risks.
In the third edition, hosted in Libreville, Gabon from April 28-30, 2025, the focus shifted to the upstream phases of the PIM cycle. The discussions centered on the need for ex-ante evaluation to enhance project selection, sharing good practices in project selection, including strategic alignment and financial viability, and the digitalization of PIM processes.
The successive SEIGIP seminars have underscored the value of long-term exchanges between technical assistance providers and national experts. Many participants attended multiple editions, indicating a growing expertise in the subjects covered, thanks to the technical assistance provided by the IMF and regional centers. Country experiences and practical exercises facilitated vibrant debates and fostered professional connections among participants.
The format of SEIGIP has been well-received, with 97.7% of participants in SEIGIP 3 expressing confidence in applying the knowledge gained. Moreover, the content was widely appreciated, with 95.6% overall satisfaction and enthusiasm for the tutorials.
Looking ahead, the IMF plans to host SEIGIP 4 from January 26 to 30, 2026, in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Building on the insights from previous editions, there is a strong emphasis on extending the duration for more comprehensive practical exercises and disseminating best practices through texts and manuals, thereby consolidating the momentum of PIM improvements in the region.