Congo-B defies sceptics to get IMF deal

President Denis Sassou Nguesso’s debt-stressed administration has finally obtained a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) facility, worth nearly $449m, despite criticism that Brazzaville has not provided sufficient detail of parallel rescheduling deals for arrears contracted in pre-financing arrangements with China and Swiss-based oil trading houses, nor implemented previous commitments to control borrowing, spending and other policy shortfalls.