Libreville: The International Monetary Fund (IMF), with the financial backing of the Governments of Japan and Germany, and in collaboration with regional technical assistance centers AFRITACs Central and West, has successfully organized three editions of the Interregional Seminar on Public Investment Management (SEIGIP) in 2022, 2023, and 2025 across Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to International Monetary Fund, these seminars, each gathering around 60 senior officials from 21 sub-Saharan African countries, offered a platform to evaluate the real impact of IMF’s capacity development initiatives and the potential of South-South cooperation. The inaugural SEIGIP addressed challenges related to Public Investment Management (PIM) amid the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on strengthening institutional frameworks and climate change-sensitive investments.
The second edition, held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from May 30 to June 1, 2023, expanded on these issues by focusing on project appraisal and selection, budgeting and execution, asset management, and fiscal risks. This seminar underscored the importance of multiyear budgetary authorizations and highlighted methods for mapping and quantifying fiscal risks.
The latest seminar, SEIGIP 3, took place in Libreville, Gabon, from April 28-30, 2025. It delved into the upstream phases of the PIM cycle, emphasizing the need for ex-ante evaluation to improve project selection, sharing best practices for project selection, and exploring the digitalization of PIM processes.
The successive SEIGIPs highlight the value of long-term exchanges between technical assistance providers and national experts. A significant number of participants attended multiple seminars, demonstrating growing proficiency in the topics discussed, thanks to the IMF’s continued technical assistance. The seminars also fostered debates through country experiences and practical exercises, leading to productive group activities and professional connections.
The format of these seminars has been well-received, with 97.7% of SEIGIP 3 participants expressing confidence in their ability to apply the acquired knowledge. A majority of participants agreed that the seminar content would enhance the quality of public investments, and 95.6% reported overall satisfaction. The tutorials were particularly well-received, with 91.1% of participants expressing positive feedback.
Looking forward, there is a strong need to build on the momentum generated by these seminars. Future improvements could include extending the duration of the SEIGIP to allow for more practical exercises and in-depth training. SEIGIP 4 is scheduled to take place from January 26 to 30, 2026, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, and will focus on disseminating best practices through comprehensive texts and manuals.