Let’s Debate on Africa's expectations for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development

Have you ever thought of the best financial mechanism for Africa development? Should we rely on domestic resource mobilization rather than aid or vise-versa? What kind of resources do we need and how to manage them in order to take Africa to the next level, end extreme poverty, ensure that every African Youth has access to basic and essential services, to education, to employment, etc…? Is the argument of funding increase commitment from decisions-makers enough to make a difference? As African negotiator, how will you articulate your negotiation points at the next Financing for Development Summit?... here's the current state of the debate -> Read.

As we know, Africa is home to bunch of fragile states with huge illiteracy rate, high number of unemployed youth, bad economic governance, weak and unclear investment plan for priority sectors for development and, at the same time, the beloved continent is full of invaluable and unexploited resources. According to policy-makers and specialists, there is a strong linkage between, in one hand, emerging conflicts, extreme poverty and, in the other hand, the way priority sectors and financing channels are identified in African countries. In fact, political economists would suggest the need for paradigmatic shift in African countries financial models of programs and development, precisely at the era of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

That’s where the Third Summit on Financing for Development comes in as entry point.
You may be aware, the third financing for Development Summit (or FfD3) is scheduled for this year from 13 to 16 July 2015 in Addis Ababa and “will feature high-level negotiations between developed and developing countries for a framework to finance the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. This new development financing architecture is anticipated to emphasize a broad range of issues, including domestic resource mobilization and tax reform, new commitments on financial development assistance (ODA) to poor countries, debt and macroeconomic policies, climate change financing, the role of private sector finance in development, and the need for global and regional cooperation to monitor the implementation of the agreed financing framework.” Read the Draft revised version of the proposed Addis Ababa Accord (click here)


So, for the OXFAM, “in spite of the global momentum towards the FfD 3 Summit, there is insufficient public awareness and mobilization of strategic constituencies at the Pan-African level to engage with the AU on the FfD 3 Summit, and in general, Africa’s priorities in the context of the emerging global consensus on development financing”; thus a joint event with the African Union Commission to discuss Financing for (Africa) Development, the way forwards.

 

The event which is planned to be held on Tuesday 19^th May 2015,will feature eminent researchers, speakers, panelists from Pan African institutions including intergovernmental organizations and non-states actors. The audience and panelists will have an unprecedented chance to criticize and evaluate the “African common position” paper that has been developed out of a series of consultations held by both UNECA and the African Union Commission, which is yet to be adopted by African leaders.

The idea that sustains this event is basically to “provide a platform for an open, interactive debate on Africa’s engagement with the FfD 3 Summit between the AU, UNECA, other Pan-African institutions and strategic constituencies in civil society, research and academia, women and youth groups and affected communities” and to “create opportunities for non-state actors to inform and contribute to the common African position on FfD 3”.
“The session will provide an optimal policy dialogue platform for all interested stakeholders to add their voices in the on-going debate with a view to respond in a transformative manner to Africa’s fundamental development challenges in the spirit of mobilizing and channeling domestic and external resources to achieve inclusive and sustainable development during the next decade and beyond” 

Topics to be discussed include:

1. Assessment of the achievements of FfD 3 and overview of International Financing for Development;
2. Africa’s expectations on the third Financing for Development Summit;
3. Civil Society Views on the Third Financing for Development Summit.

An information fair at the side of the meeting will also be organized to expose the participants to the different activities around the quest of Financing Africa’s Development Agenda. The outcomes of the session will be published in the ‘’Bulletin of the Friday of the Commission’’ and disseminated to a wide audience for publicity including AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities, Universities and Development Partners among others.
Definitely, the usefulness of this exercise lies in the fact that, given the current state of Africa and planning for the future, the realization of an “Africa that is prosperous, in peace with herself and plays a prominent role in the global arena,” will depend on the suitable manner through which we will take advantage of this forth coming negotiation round (FfD)!

Be part of the discussion!!!
Mark the date: Tuesday 19^th, May 2015, Time: 2pm to 6pm,
Official hash tag: #AfricaPost2015, Secondary hash tags: #FfD, #Post2015, #Fin4Dev, 

Note: To attend the conference, you can come to the AUC headquarters in Addis on the date of the conference and register at the gate. More info, contact: Mrs. Selam Abraha (E-mail: Selam.Abraha@oxfaminternational.org ), Tel: +251 116 611601, Ms. Ambela Barbara (E-mail: Ambelab@africa-union.org ) Tel: +251 115 182668. Get more documention on the FfD here.