Description: Washington, DC – Recent 1. B-ROLL: Exterior IMF Washington, DC --- 23 march, 2023 2. Walk-up news conference 3. Reporters cutaway 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julie Kozack, IMF Spokesperson: “We continue to engage closely with the Ghanaian authorities while they seek these assurances, and we're calling on bilateral creditors to support Ghana's efforts to restore debt sustainability, form an official creditor committee, and deliver the necessary financial assurances as soon as possible. The IMF program aims to support common efforts to restore macroeconomic stability, debt sustainability, while also protecting the vulnerable, preserving financial stability, and laying the foundation for strong and inclusive growth.” 5. Cutaway Reporter 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julie Kozack, IMF Spokesperson: “The IMF welcomes the strong progress toward restoring lasting peace and stability through the cessation of hostilities agreement. Implementation has progressed well, including the restoration of humanitarian assistance and basic services in Tigray. IMF staff have ongoing discussions with the authorities on the reform plans and how we can support their efforts to address humanitarian and economic challenges. We have received a request for financial assistance and we are conducting the technical work to prepare for a potential program discussion.” 7. Cutaway Reporter 8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julie Kozack, IMF Spokesperson: “Zambia is making promising progress on delivering on its commitments under the IMF supported programme. This includes significantly reducing the fiscal deficit and increasing social spending in 2022. Together with steps to strengthen public financial management and governance. But Zambia also needs a substantial reduction in its debt burden from its external creditors to consumate these reforms and preserve the recent growth momentum. So I should say, to complement these reforms.” 9. Wideshot studio 10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julie Kozack, IMF Spokesperson: “To remove any hurdles to the timely consideration by the IMF executive Board of the first review and article IV, we urge official creditors to move forward and reach agreement on a debt treatment, in line with the financing assurances that they provided in July 2022.” 11. Cutaway Reporter Washington, DC – Recent 12. B-ROLL: Exterior IMF