Patrick Achi, who served as Ivory Coast’s Minister of Economic Infrastructure for 17 years and later as Prime Minister until October 2023, is currently a private lecturer and researcher at Harvard University.
Appointment to Expert Group
The former Ivorian Prime Minister, Patrick Achi, has been selected to join a group of experts formed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to deliberate on the future of the global economy. This announcement was made by both institutions in a press release on Monday, July 1st, 2024.
Task Force Objectives
Alongside Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Indonesia’s Finance Minister, and Mark Malloch Brown, former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Achi, a former close associate of Alassane Ouattara, will lead discussions “with global stakeholders on the shape of the world economy in 20 to 30 years, the evolution of multilateralism, and, most importantly, how the World Bank and the IMF can better support stability and progress on a sustainable planet.”
Achi’s Political Career and Academic Transition
Having served as a minister, secretary-general of the presidency, and Prime Minister of Ivory Coast from 2021 to 2023, Patrick Achi, once considered a potential successor to President Ouattara, was relieved of his duties in October 2023.
However, he retained his position as president of the regional council of La Mé (located in southern Ivory Coast). Since then, he has been working as a private lecturer and researcher at Harvard University.
Bringing an African Perspective
In a context where the World Bank and the IMF are seeking to strengthen their actions towards developing countries, Patrick Achi’s profile, having participated in the development of Ivory Coast’s national development plan, is expected to provide the two institutions with an African perspective on the future of the global economy.
As head of the Ivorian government, the 68-year-old politician had already advocated for reform of the global financial architecture during the summit on the new global financial pact held in Paris in 2023.
IMF’s Perspective
“As the IMF seeks to meet the evolving needs of its global members and effectively fulfill its three main tasks – economic policy advice, lending, and capacity development – we recognize the importance of a longer-term perspective. This process will help us better understand and plan for possible futures,” stated Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF.
World Bank’s Perspective
“The world needs the World Bank, and the next 50 years will demand even more from this institution than the previous 80 years to achieve a world without poverty on a sustainable planet,” said Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group.