The Harare Declaration 2021:
A New Debt Movement to make Africa a Rule Maker not a Rule Taker
Agreed and Adopted 27th August 2021
PREAMBLE
The inaugural African Conference on Debt and Development (AfCoDD) is taking place at a time when the access of African countries to development finance has been curtailed by the onset of the global health pandemic. While many developing countries were already classified as facing debt crises before the pandemic, the nature of this debt has been further complicated by the pandemic, in a new landscape that poses even greater risks.
Stop the Bleeding Campaign
The STB campaign is steered by six diverse pan-African movements, namely: Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA); The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET); Trust Africa, African Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD); African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) and Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU).
Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)
AFRODAD took the lead in the campaign to shape and share the voice from the African continent on the need for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to issue Special Drawing Rights to a tune of 2Trillion in SDR which is equivalent to USD 3Trillion. Here are statements from Kenya (with Okoa Uchumi in Kenya); the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) and CROSET in Chad.
Civil Society Organisations Calling for Vaccine Access and Equity For ALL
COVID-19 has killed over a hundred thousand people across Africa, decimated African economies, and pushed millions of people into poverty and hunger with no end in sight unless there is a shift to ensure immediate full access to vaccines. The virus has profoundly exploited existing inequalities, disproportionately affecting frontline healthcare and other essential workers most of whom are women, and people who were already living in poverty. Ensuring every African can get a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, swiftly and free of charge, is the most effective way to save lives and livelihoods, keep our children in school, reduce unemployment rates and re-open our economies.