The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, met with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during his current visit to Washington. "President Al-Sisi and I discussed the progress of Egypt's economic reform programme, supported by the IMF's $12bn extended fund facility arrangement," Lagarde said in a statement released on Thursday. The statement added that "Egypt is implementing a strong economic reform programme to help the economy return to its full potential, achieve more growth, and create more jobs. We recognize the sacrifices made and the difficulties faced by many Egyptian citizens, especially due to high inflation." Lagarde asserted that the IMF is working to help the government and the Central Bank of Egypt to bring inflation under control and "support the steps the Egyptian authorities are taking to protect its poorest and most vulnerable citizens."
