Impact of debt on Women, children and UN Tax Convention Dominate Discussions at AfCODD IV in Maputo

…..As ANEEJ, AFRODAD Launch ‘Debt Palaver’

Maputo, Mozambique… The Deputy Executive Director of ANEEJ, Leo Atakpu, has described the movie Debt Palaver, jointly produced by ANEEJ and AFRODAD, as a reflection of the negative impacts of debt in the country. Mr. Atakpu made these remarks while featuring on a panel of AFRODAD partners, moderated by AFRODAD Executive Director Jason Braganza, on the last day of the African Conference on Debt and Development (AfCoDD IV) held in Maputo, Mozambique. The conference’s theme was “Africa’s Debt Crisis: Pan-African Feminist Perspectives and Alternatives.”

Speaking on how the movie was scripted, he stated that both ANEEJ and AFRODAD provided the necessary information and research, which renowned director and actor Lancelot Imasuen used to develop the storyline. He noted that the film amply demonstrated that women and children are usually disproportionately impacted by the debt crisis as compared to other gender.

Atakpu equally welcomed the progress made on the UN Tax Convention and welcomed the blueprint for a new universal tax accord which will help the achievement of the UN sustainable development goals and other development agendas that are targeted towards poverty eradication.

The Partners Panel, titled “National Debt Meetings: Reflections, Emerging Issues, and Building a Common Approach towards African Rule Maker, not Rule Taker,” was convened by Braganza for implementing partners of the Gates Grant. Partners from the following countries were present during the session: Nigeria, Kenya, Benin, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, and Tunisia.

Giving a scorecard of the activities carried out by ANEEJ, Mr. Atakpu stated that ANEEJ engaged with major stakeholders, including members of Parliament on Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and debt issues, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, as well as the IMF. He revealed that these engagements led to awareness creation about SDRs, as the lawmakers had no prior knowledge of them. He also mentioned that these engagements revealed that the SDRs were used to shore up Nigeria’s Foreign Reserves at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Mr. Atakpu stressed the need for continued engagement and capacity building of the members of Parliament going forward. Panelists from other countries also gave accounts of their activities, challenges, and prospects for future engagements.

Earlier, during the Partners meeting held on the 29th, which centred on the implementation of national advocacy plans, partners unanimously called for capacity building of members of Parliament, as most of them do not understand debt-related issues. They emphasized the need for access to information, the development of champions among MPs and committees, and discussed upcoming important conferences and the necessity of a common voice to articulate a formidable agenda in global spaces. It was agreed that this common voice should be fostered at the national, regional, continental, and global levels. The meeting deliberated on the following conferences: the Summit of the Future in September 2024, the Spring Meetings, and particularly the Financing for Development (FfD) conference coming up in July 2025. Partners were urged to engage stakeholders to prepare for a common voice as these meetings approach.

The three-day conference concluded on August 30, 2024, with a call for an inclusive and united Africa that prioritizes equity over equality, the education of the girl child, and the abolition of harmful and obsolete laws against women and girls.

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