The International Monetary Fund (IMF) plans to establish a Regional Training Center (RTC) for Sub-Saharan Africa in Mauritius.
The center will start operations in 2013 with courses and seminars covering macroeconomic policymaking and financial programming, public finance, exchange rate and monetary policies, economic integration, and financial sector issues, including banking supervision, the IMF said Thursday in a release.
The training will complement the activities of the IMF’s Regional Technical Assistance Centers in Africa (AFRITACs), as well as other regional initiatives. The center will also seek to host training courses by other international and regional organizations in their respective areas of expertise.
The selection of Mauritius was made following an open and transparent consultation process in the Sub-Saharan region, with the authorities of Mauritius committing to provide substantial funding for the center through in-kind (including suitable facilities) and cash contributions, the release said.
The IMF explained that RTCs elsewhere in the world have facilitated the training of government officials on the formulation and implementation of macroeconomic policies as well as related statistical and legal frameworks. With support of donors, such centers and programs are operational in Austria, Kuwait, and Singapore, complementing training at IMF headquarters.