WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board has approved a $44.9-million assistance package for Afghanistan to help the country increase growth, IMF Deputy Managing Director Mitsuhiro Furusawa announced in a statement on Thursday.
"The authorities’ program supported under the Fund’s Extended Credit Facility aims to consolidate recent gains on the macroeconomic and structural fronts, and catalyze donor support," Furusawa stated.
The IMF said some $6.2 million will be available for immediate disbursement.
Furusawa noted that the fund's program for Afghanistan will focus on financial sector reforms, building institutions, as well as measures targeting corruption.
Afghanistan had 0.8 percent GDP growth in 2015, according to the IMF.