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May 11 (Reuters) - Republic of Congo has requested talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a new financing programme and a technical mission is expected to arrive in the Central African country in the coming weeks, its finance ministry said on Monday.

Reuters reported in April that Congo had told investors it had formally requested a fresh IMF programme. Congo completed ​its most recent loan programme ​in March 2025. The Fund ⁠disbursed some ​324 million IMF Special Drawing Rights over three years - ​around $430 million at the time.

The talks with the technical mission will aim to set out the parameters of a new programme tailored to the oil producer's economic priorities, the finance ministry statement said.

President Denis Sassou Nguesso won a tightly controlled election in March, securing more than 94% of the vote to extend his nearly 42 years in power.

His government's development plan includes consolidating peace and diversifying the economy, the ministry statement said.

The government is committed to carrying out necessary reforms to promote inclusive growth and expand employment opportunities, it said.

The IMF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It said in an assessment in April that Congo's economic performance and outlook remained fragile:

"2025 growth remained well below potential as weak public investment and energy supply disruptions weighed on the non-hydrocarbon sector, and medium-term growth prospects have softened for similar reasons."