Mar

17

2021

9:30—11:00 AM ET

Mobilizing and Allocating External Financing for Africa: On the Road to the Summit on Financing African Economies

This event will be broadcast in English and French.

ABOUT THE EVENT

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on African economies, translating notably into growing fiscal and external imbalances and worsening growth and poverty outcomes. Due to limited policy space, many countries on the continent will be constrained in their ability to implement expansionary macroeconomic policies to stimulate post-crisis recovery. In order to bolster prospects for a stronger and sustainable economic recovery, African governments will therefore need to mobilize significant additional external financing.

Ahead of the Summit on Financing for Africa, the Center for Global Development (CGD) and the Fondation pour les Études et Recherches sur le Développement International (FERDI) are co-hosting a two-day panel discussion: the first on the mobilization of external financing to support strong, inclusive and sustained post-COVID19 economic recovery in Africa and, the second one on the challenges and opportunities associated with the allocation of concessional financing for the continent. Following a presentation on the topic, the panels will feature government officials, policy makers and subject experts, who will have an open discussion on challenges and options for mobilizing external financing and allocating concessional finance to African countries.

FIRST SESSION: MOBILIZING EXTERNAL FINANCING FOR AFRICA (Tuesday, March 16, 9:30-11:00am ET/ 1:30-3:00pm GMT/ 2:30- 4:00pm CET)

*This panel will be presented in English, with simultaneous interpretation in French.

 
Participants will discuss available financing options, while assessing their respective merits and limitations. They will explore the role of African governments, bilateral and multilateral partners and the private sector in mobilizing further public and private external financing for Africa, moving beyond concepts and proposals to concrete actions over the next few months.

MODERATORS

  • Mark Plant , Co-Director of Development Finance, and Senior Policy Fellow, CGD
  • Matthieu Boussichas, Program Manager, FERDI

PRESENTER

  • Daouda Sembene, Distinguished Non-Resident Fellow, Center for Global Development (CGD)

PANELISTS

  • William Roos, Co-Chairman of the Paris Club
  • Vera Songwe, United Nations Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
  • Njuguna Ndung’u, Executive Director, African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)
  • Alexia Latortue, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)

SECOND SESSION: ALLOCATING PUBLIC EXTERNAL FINANCING TO AFRICAN COUNTRIES (Wednesday, March 17, 9:30-11:00am ET/ 1:30-3:00pm GMT/ 2:30-4:00pm CET)

*This panel will be presented in French, with simultaneous interpretation in English. Translation in English is available on zoom : https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oc4a6o_nTqOQ_JDZB5r6rQ

Participants will discuss how public financing, in particular concessional one, should be allocated among African countries, how their vulnerability can be taken into account and in this perspective they will again explore the role of bilateral and multilateral partners.

MODERATORS

  • Masood Ahmed, President, Center for Global Development (CGD)
  • Patrick Guillaumont, President, Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International (FERDI)

PRESENTER

  • Laurent Wagner, Research Officer, Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International (FERDI)

PANELISTS

  • Rabah Arezki, Chief Economist and Vice President for Knowledge Management and Economic Governance at African Development Bank Group
  • Bruno Cabrillac, Deputy Director General of Economics and International Relations, Banque de France
  • Nathalie Delapalme, Executive Director, Mo Ibrahim Foundation
  • Gnounka Diouf, Advisor to H.E Mr Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal
  • Ngueto Tiraïna Yambayé, Director General of the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund and Former Minister of Economic Planning and Development of Chad
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