These alternative approaches proposed by the IMF Consultative Group on Exchange Rate issues include the macroeconomic balance approach, the external sustainability approach and equilibrium real exchange rate approach.”

According to the report, the purchasing power parity approach was also involved in the assessment, pointing out that these alternative approaches produce somewhat different results.

“The macroeconomic balance approach suggests that the Dalasi may be overvalued by 17 percent. The country’s underlying current account deficit is 12 Percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The underlying fundamental driving this result is the large fiscal deficits in recent years.

Temporary factors such as Government’s financial external payments for a large telecommunications project also played a role. With an estimated current account norm of about 2 percent, roughly in line with estimates in past assessments, a depreciation of 17 per cent would be needed to restore sustainability.”

The report outlined that the external sustainability approach indicates an overvaluation of 8½ percent.

The report published by Gambia local newspaper- Foroyaa, adds, “With an underlying current account balance of 12 Percent of GDP, The Gambia’s long run net foreign assets would be unsustainable at about -138 percent of GDP in order to bring the NFA to a sustainable level of -70 percent of GDP, that the exchange rate would require a depreciation of 8 ½ percent with a corresponding current account deficit of 6 ½ percent of GDP”, the report states.