The cocoa, gold and oil-producing West African nation is grappling with its worst economic crisis in a generation.

The International Monetary Fund's executive board last week approved a $3 billion three-year support programme, allowing for an immediate disbursement of about $600 million and a potential path out of the crisis.

(Reporting by Maxwell Akalaare Adombila; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Alexander Winning)