IMF/ LAGARDE AFRICA

IMF's Christine Lagarde departs Sunday for her first trip to Africa as Managing Director, visiting Nigeria and Niger. IMF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:29
• Production Date: 15 December 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND - IMF
• Subject Topical: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; FINANCING; ECONOMICS; ECONOMIC CONDITIONS; ECONOMY; ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• MAMS Id: U111215e

Description

STORY: IMF/ LAGARDE AFRICA
TRT: 2:29
SOURCE: IMF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON, DC 15 DECEMBER, 2011

Shotlist

RECENT - JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA –

1. Wide shot busy street

15 DECEMBER, 2011, WASHINGTON, DC

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF):
“I’m really going there to listen and to appreciate what is expected of us by the African countries, by the African governments, by the African people as well, because it’s a region of the world which is facing both huge challenges and huge opportunities. And if we can help in any shape or form by providing technical assistance, by offering policy advice, using our best brains, and by making available the resources that we have, and to give credibility to the reform programs that some governments have announced and are implementing, then the better.”

RECENT - JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

3. Close up, forklift and container
4. Wide shot, truck leaving yard
5. Med shot, truck pulls out of yard

15 DECEMBER, 2011, WASHINGTON, DC

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF):
“African countries generally have a strong partnership with European countries. A lot of the trade, for instance, between African countries has been historically with European countries. If I look at Niger, for instance, that I will be visiting, the lead trade partner of Niger is France. And many African countries have tight relationships with Europe, but the situation is evolving and there is clearly a tendency now to trade regionally more and to also trade with Asian countries. This is a recent development which is good for African countries because it allows them to hedge their position and not be excessively at risk of what is happening in Europe, for instance.”

RECENT -NAIROBI, KENYA

7. Med shot, teacher with kids under tree
8. Close up, child

15 DECEMBER, 2011 WASHINGTON, DC

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF):
“Clearly African governments have the responsibility to create the environment where both the private sector and the public sector feels confident investing in African countries in order to create the job opportunities for the young people.”

RECENT - ZAMBIA

10. Close up, men haul pallet
11. Wide shot, building being erected

Storyline

The IMF’s Christine Lagarde departs Sunday for her first trip to Africa as Managing Director, visiting Nigeria and Niger. While in Nigeria, Lagarde will meet with President Goodluck Johnson and deliver a speech on Africa’s future. In Niger, she’ll address the National Assembly and meet with President Mahamadou Issoufou.

Lagarde said that good economic policies have led to higher growth, more investments, and, to some extent, poverty reduction.

“I’m really going there to listen and to appreciate what is expected of us by the African countries, by the African governments, by the African people as well, because it’s a region of the world which is facing both huge challenges and huge opportunities. And if we can help in any shape or form by providing technical assistance, by offering policy advice, using our best brains, and by making available the resources that we have, and to give credibility to the reform programs that some governments have announced and are implementing, then the better,” Lagarde said.

Lagarde said that although African economies have made significant progress over the last few years, the world economy still holds risks for all nations and no country can consider itself immune.

“African countries generally have a strong partnership with European countries. A lot of the trade, for instance, between African countries has been historically with European countries. If I look at Niger, for instance, that I will be visiting, the lead trade partner of Niger is France. And many African countries have tight relationships with Europe, but the situation is evolving and there is clearly a tendency now to trade regionally more and to also trade with Asian countries. This is a recent development which is good for African countries because it allows them to hedge their position and not be excessively at risk of what is happening in Europe, for instance.”

Although growth has averaged 5-6 percent in sub-Saharan Africa over the past decade, Lagarde said it’s important to ensure that the benefits of growth are shared and that it leads to job creation.

“Clearly African governments have the responsibility to create the environment where both the private sector and the public sector feels confident investing in African countries in order to create the job opportunities for the young people,” Lagarde said.

Lagarde will be in Nigeria from December 18 through 21 and in Niger from December 21 through 23. She will follow that with a trip to South Africa in early January.