President James Michel has congratulated Seychellois economist Ronald Cafrine on his appointment to the post of advisor in the executive director’s (ED) office of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the Asia Pacific Constituency.

Mr Cafrine is currently special advisor in the department of finance and trade of the Ministry of Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy.

Yesterday, Mr Cafrine called on President James Michel and Vice-President Danny Faure at State House and it was an occasion for the country’s leaders to wish him all the best in his new job.

The head of state expressed his pride on seeing a Seychellois going up the next level in the public service especially on the international level.

Thanking Mr Cafrine for his hard work and dedication in his 25 years as a public servant in the Seychelles government, President Michel said:

“It is an honour for Seychelles that you have been chosen for a high-level IMF post. We are very proud of you and your work. It is a recognition of what a Seychellois is capable of as you have demonstrated that you have the experience, skills and capacity for work at a highly regarded international institution. I wish you every success in your new role and hope you are an inspirations to others,” said Mr Michel.

The Asia Pacific constituency includes Australia, Kiribati, Korea, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Uzbekistan, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

The constituency assists in monitoring economic and financial developments in the region as well as progress in regional cooperation and integration.

It seeks to help enhance the understanding of the IMF and its policies in the region, and keep the Fund informed of regional perspectives on key issues.

It also facilitates the implementation of Fund policies and initiatives through support of the work of IMF headquarters departments in the region.

The presence of the regional office in Asia recognises the substantial and growing importance of the region in the global economy.

Mr Cafrine will be an advisor in an office consisting of an executive director, two alternate executive directors, two senior advisors and five advisors of whom he forms part. The senior advisor and advisor positions are on a rotation basis of two years when another country takes over the position.

Speaking to the press after his meeting with the president, Mr Cafrine, who will take on the new position on August 3 at the IMF headquarters in Washington DC, said his new duties basically entail working with the IMF board.

Mr Cafrine explained that the IMF has a system of constituencies and Seychelles is in the Constituency of Asia Pacific.

“My role will be basically to advise the executive director on issues concerning the board. I will be helping my executive director on analysis, reviewing papers, documents, write-ups by IMF staff for the director to take to the board.

As in the IMF there are staff in the African Department, for example, who go to member countries to undertake missions, commonly known as IMF Mission. Those staff review a country’s economic situation, present a report which is received by the executive director’s office.

“May be it’s me who will receive the report and I will make a summary of it. I will give it to my executive director who will then take it to the board. This may allow me to support the reports of countries in my constituency, like for example, for the Seychelles.

I will also be sitting on the board on some occasions, even in the back row positions. This will allow me to get to know what happens on the IMF board on a daily basis,” said Mr Cafrine.

He highlighted the model role of Seychelles for small island states for macro-economic resilience and that in a way he will contribute towards policies to get small countries manage their economies.

Mr Cafrine added that the post requires a minimum experience of fifteen years in finance and macro economy in general. He has been in the public service for twenty-five years with about twenty years in finance-related fields like in economic planning.

During his distinguished career in finance and economic planning, Mr Cafrine has been the special advisor to the Minister for Finance, Trade and Investment since 2012, and continued in this role with the Ministry of Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy since February 2015. Prior to this he was advisor to the Revenue Commissioner at the Seychelles Revenue Commission (November 2011- April 2012), assistant Revenue Commissioner (2010-2011), and director general, Customs Division (2009), director general, policy & strategy division, Ministry of Finance (June 2005- March  2009) and director for economic planning, Ministry of Economic Planning (2002-2005). He started his career as trainee officer at the economic planning division of the Ministry of Planning and External Relations in 1990, and then worked his way up to become economist, and the senior economist, before being appointed to senior level posts.

Mr Cafrine has a BA in Economics from the University of Essex (UK).

Also present during the meeting yesterday at State House were the Minister for Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy Jean-Paul Adam and the secretary general in the Office of the President, Lise Bastienne.

Forrás: www.nation.sc