Side Event at UNCTAD Debt Management Conference: Getting Africa into the Driver’s Seat in Global Debt Discussions

The side event aims to learn from African countries’ extensive and evolving experience with sovereign debt management and restructuring process and envisions how a future debt re-structuring framework should look like. In general, the forum seeks to discuss the existing global financial system and governance and reiterates Africa’s position and role in creating an inclusive and just system.

The purpose of the side event is to:

• Look back on past debt relief initiatives and lessons learned from the experience.
   
• Examine the current global financial architecture and Africa’s role within the existing frameworks.
   
• Highlight the role of the African Union in galvanizing political support and finding an African common position for international debt relief and debt restructuring negotiations.
   

Programme

Panelists:

• Patrick Ndzana Olomo, Dep. Director at ETTIM Department, AU Commission
• Josephine Tito, Programme Manager, Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI)
• Daniel Tilahun, Team Leader at Debt Management Directorate, Ministry of Finance, Federal Republic of Ethiopia (virtual)
• Creditor Institution
• African NGO/Think tank

Moderator: UNCTAD