Abidjan: The IMF, with financial backing from the Governments of Japan and Germany and in collaboration with regional technical assistance centers AFRITACs Central and West, has successfully conducted three editions of the Interregional Seminar on Public Investment Management (SEIGIP) throughout 2022, 2023, and 2025. These seminars, held in various locations across Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, attracted approximately 60 senior officials from 21 countries, providing a unique platform to evaluate the impact of IMF's capacity development initiatives and the potential of South-South cooperation.
According to Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the first SEIGIP seminar focused on addressing Public Investment Management (PIM) challenges amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the importance of robust legal and institutional frameworks for effective PIM. The seminar also highlighted methods for identifying and supporting climate change-sensitive public investments. The second installment, held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire from May 30 to June 1, 2023, expanded on these discussions, covering topics such as project appraisal and selection, budgeting and execution, asset management, and fiscal risks.
The third edition, hosted in Libreville, Gabon from April 28 to 30, 2025, delved into the upstream phases of the PIM cycle. It highlighted the necessity of systematizing ex-ante evaluations for better project selection, shared best practices for project selection, and explored the digitalization of PIM, aligning its information system with budgetary processes.
Throughout these seminars, the increasing technicality of exchanges among participants, many of whom attended multiple editions, underscored the growing mastery of the subjects at hand. Country experiences generated vibrant debates, and practical group exercises fostered a collective dynamic, enabling participants to establish professional connections. The format of these seminars has been met with widespread acclaim, with 97.7% of participants from SEIGIP 3 expressing confidence in applying the knowledge and skills acquired.
The experience gained over the past three years has highlighted areas for improvement, such as extending the seminar duration and disseminating best practices through various media. The upcoming SEIGIP 4 is scheduled to take place from January 26 to 30, 2026, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, aiming to build upon the momentum and continue enhancing the quality of public investments in the region.