Former IMF economist appointed S. Sudan economic advisor

April 26, 2017 (KAMPALA) – A former economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been appointed Senior Economic and International Policy adviser to the Government of South Sudan.

The position of Thomson Fontaine, who hails from the Dominican Republic, will reportedly involve offering policy advice to the transitional government, assisting in the organization of resources of the state, and importantly, establishing an economic and financial management policy for the young nation.

As advisor, Fontaine will engage key stakeholders including the IMF, World Bank and the African Development Bank (ADB).

“I will be serving as the primary liaison of the Transition Government of National Unity basically providing them with economic policy advice in that area and contribute to different working papers and policy discussions on the future of South Sudan,” Fontaine told Dominican News Online.

“I will be moving to South Sudan but the way it is organized, I will do two months in country and three weeks breather where I will come back to Dominica,” he added.

The ex-IMF economist is currently a senator in the Dominican Parliament.

South Sudan has been experiencing a civil war since December 2013. The conflict, according to the IMF has made the country’s economy shrunk by almost 20 percent in the two years through to 2015/16, anticipating a 3.5 percent contraction this year.

(ST)