On 9 January, we held an informative webinar in collaboration with Public Debt Management Practice (PDM) Mauritius with anglophone countries participating in the third iteration of the Africa Debt Monitor.
The webinar was an opportunity to explore and deepen our understanding of the ADM, a unique platform that is transforming the way we share and engage with debt-related information in Africa.
The discussions were timely especially as they focused on ensuring participants feel confident and informed when filling out the questionnaire while increasing engagement and response quality by demonstrating the impact of feedback provided.
The ADM was launched in September 2019, representing a significant milestone in Africa’s journey towards enhanced public debt transparency, sustainability and effective management. The ADM was developed by CABRI in close consultation with African debt managers and is an invaluable tool for central government debt offices across the continent. It is country-owned, and ensures that the information shared is not only relevant but directly reflects the priorities and needs of the participating countries.
One of the tools’ key strengths is its comprehensive approach, which goes beyond just reporting debt statistics. It provides a deep dive into the institutional arrangements, policies, practices, and processes that underpin effective debt management. By doing so, it offers us a better understanding of the capacity of debt offices to manage debt, cash and the associated risks. This is crucial, as it enables policymakers to assess their countries' ability to make informed decisions that promote debt sustainability.
Accessing debt-related information is now easier than ever thanks to the tool's data explorer, cross-country comparisons of debt management strategies and individual country debt profiles. Additionally, by making essential debt data easily accessible to scholars and investors, these technologies promote greater transparency throughout the continent. This furthermore, fosters a collaborative, transparent and sustainable debt management ecosystem across the African continent.
Debt transparency, as we all know, is not just about the numbers, but also about governance, accountability and building the trust necessary to attract investment and support economic growth. It allows us to see beyond the debt stock to understand how debt is managed, how it is issued, recorded, reported and to identify the key institutional processes that ensure its effective oversight. It is clear that a lack of debt transparency can have serious implications. Without full visibility into debt management practices, the risks of unsustainable debt and delayed crisis identification grow. By contrast, improving transparency not only helps avoid debt distress but also reduces borrowing costs and strengthens governance.
We invite all African countries to participate in the third iteration of the ADM. Please feel free to reach out to Alilali Nelufule at Alilali.Nelufule@cabri-sbo.org and Teboho Mahai at Teboho-Mahai@cabri-sbo.org of CABRI.
Please download the presentation for a thorough understanding of how to complete the 2024 ADM Questionaire.