The International Monetary Fund expects at least 12 countries — including several in sub‑Saharan Africa — to request new lending programs because of soaring energy prices and supply‑chain disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East, the fund’s managing director has said.
Kristalina Georgieva repeated her estimate that the conflict could generate demand for between $20 billion and $40 billion in IMF financing, which could include top‑ups to existing programs as well as new arrangements.
She warned governments to avoid broad, untargeted measures such as general energy subsidies to offset higher prices, saying such steps would “prolong the impact of high prices.”