Dr. Leandro Medina has been named the new country representative for Ghana by the International Monetary Fund.

Mr. Medina succeeds Dr. Touna Mama, who held the job since 2018 but ended his "Duty Tour" last week, according to a Joy Business story.

Dr. Medina was the senior economist in the Strategy, Policy and Review Department and the Macro Policy Division at the IMF prior to his appointment.

Additionally, he has worked for the IMF in a number of departments in places including the Middle East, Central Asia, and its African Department, mainly in Ghana and Mozambique.

Before joining the IMF, Dr. Leandro Medina worked as an international consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank, participating in Portfolio Review and Policy Dialogue missions to Argentina and Uruguay.

Dr Medina comes to the position at a time that Ghana is seeking US$3 billion from the fund to help stabilize the economy which has been impacted by both internal and external factors such as the depreciation of the cedi, revenue generation constraints, the COVID-19 pandemic, Rausia - Ukrain war and among others.

On July 1, 2022, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ordered Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to present an economic rescue programme to the IMF following the current economic conditions in the country.

Following that, between July 6 and July 13, a delegation from the Fund led by Carlo Sdralevich traveled to Ghana and spoke with pertinent parties.

Kristalina Georgiva, the IMF's managing director, recently stated that her organization is committed to reaching a deal with the Government of Ghana before the end of this year.

She continued by saying that so far, positive negotiations for a potential economic support program had taken place with Ghanaian officials.