Malheureusement, cet événement s’est déroulé exclusivement en anglais, c’est pourquoi le résumé n’est disponible que dans cette langue. Nous essayons toujours d’élargir notre offre en langue française et vous remercions de votre compréhension.

In relation to the African continent, there is increasing talk of a new debt crisis. Of the 36 heavily indebted low-income countries, 21 are located in Africa. In particular, the financial burden of debt repayment is becoming an ever more pressing issue. A central problem lies in the excessive interest costs. Distorted country ratings by international credit rating agencies mean that African states must refinance on international capital markets at costs six to twelve times higher than, for example, Germany.

The first debt conference of the African Union, which recently concluded in Lomé, Togo, also addressed this issue under the theme “Africa’s Public Debt Management Agenda – Restoring and Safeguarding Debt Sustainability.” The adopted Lomé Declaration on Debt calls, among other things, for a revision of the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatments and the accelerated establishment of the African Financial Stability Mechanism (AFSM).

These and other questions were discussed during a Parliamentary Breakfast hosted under the patronage of Jürgen Coße, Member of the Bundestag (MdB):

• What structural reforms does the international financial system need to ensure equal access for all countries?

• What role can and should Germany play in this process?

• How can the reform efforts of African countries, as well as new instruments such as the AFSM, be supported?

Agenda

• Welcome
  Jürgen Coße MdB

• Discussion with
  Serah Makka, Executive Director for Africa, ONE

• Closing remarks
  Stephan Exo-Kreischer, Executive Director for Continental Europe, ONE

• Moderation
  Sabine Odhiambo, Secretary General, German Africa Foundation (Deutsche Afrika Stiftung)