Empowering African governments: The African Legal Support Facility hosts training seminar and unveils guides to foster debt resiliency in Africa

The African Legal Support Facility’s (ALSF) sovereign finance sector concluded a highly successful five-day training event, entitled "Building Debt Resiliency in Africa and Launch of the ALSF Debt Guides." Held in Nairobi, Kenya from 13th to 17th November, the seminar gathered over 100 esteemed participants, including senior officials from African Debt Management Offices and Central Banks and senior lawyers within Attorney Generals Offices from across 28 African countries  as well as public finance professionals.  

At the core of ALSF's mission is to help African governments achieve debt sustainability. This seminar acted as a catalyst, empowering African governments to engage in balanced negotiations with creditors, adopt innovative financing methods, tackle present challenges, and strategize for enduring debt sustainability. The seminar, a dynamic blend of interactive workshops, presentations, case studies, and peer-to-peer discussions, facilitated an invaluable exchange of experiences among African government officials in the sphere of sovereign debt management.

The training was linked to seven user-friendly sovereign debt-focused guides developed by the ALSF, which encompass diverse topics crucial for effective debt management, including:

1. Development and Sustainability-Focused Financing
2. Debt Swaps
3. Key Considerations for Incurring Non-Traditional Debt
4. State-Contingent Debt Instruments (SCDIs)
5. Governance and Transparency
6. Fiscal Policy and Management
7. Pre-crisis and Crisis Management

These guides not only delve into theoretical and practical aspects but also highlight best practices tailored for African nations, aligning them with international standards.

This seminar and the debt guides were developed with the support of the Bill & Melida Gates Foundation. The seminar was held in association with key ALSF affiliate partners such as the Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI), the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), the Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec), the Eastern and Southern African Trade & Development Bank’s Academy (TDB Academy) and the Sustainable Public Debt Management Support Institution (SDMI).

The ALSF's commitment to fostering debt resilience and sustainability in Africa remains unwavering, encapsulating an inclusive approach towards informed debt management practices and strategies, ensuring a prosperous future for the continent.

About the ALSF

Hosted by the African Development Bank since 2008, the ALSF assists African governments in negotiating complex commercial transactions, providing legal and technical assistance, and developing capacity building tools in the key sectors of energy, infrastructure and public-private partnerships, natural resources, extractives industries and sovereign finance. 

Contact us

Eve Ehoura, communication officer : e.ehoura@afdb.org