The International Monetary Fund said on June 22, 2026, that it was expanding financial support for several African countries affected by economic disruptions linked to conflict in the Middle East. IMF Africa Department Director Zeine Zeidane said the institution was working with governments facing higher import costs and pressure on public finances.
The IMF reached staff-level agreements to increase financing for Burkina Faso, The Gambia, and São Tomé and Príncipe. It also accelerated approximately 200 million dollars in financing for Ethiopia under an existing IMF program. The funding was intended to help governments manage external financial pressures and maintain economic stability.
Higher energy and transportation costs have affected African economies that depend heavily on imported fuel and other commodities. Disruptions involving the Persian Gulf and Middle Eastern export routes have also affected fertilizer supplies, increasing production costs for farmers and creating additional risks for food prices and agricultural output.
Many African governments entered the period with limited fiscal space, elevated debt levels, and foreign currency pressures. Higher import bills can reduce foreign exchange reserves and increase government borrowing requirements, particularly in countries that import large quantities of petroleum, fertilizer, or food.
The IMF said the duration of the economic effects would depend partly on how quickly production and exports from affected Middle Eastern countries returned to normal levels. The measures linked economic conditions in Africa to continuing developments in global energy markets, shipping routes, fertilizer production, and regional conflicts outside the continent.
