Togo: Lomé hosts a crucial African summit to rethink public debt management

From May 12 to 14, Lomé will be at the heart of African economic debates. The Togolese capital will bring together experts, decision-makers and financial institutions for a major conference on public debt, organized by the African Union Commission. Under the theme “Restoring and preserving debt sustainability in Africa”, the event aims to find sustainable solutions to the continent’s growing debt burden.
The meeting will bring together finance ministers, central bank governors, representatives of multilateral institutions and civil society players. Together, they will seek to harmonize strategies for alleviating the debt burden while stimulating the investments needed for development.
Participants will work to update the common African position on reforms to the international financial system. What is at stake? Obtaining fairer mechanisms for African countries, often penalized by disadvantageous borrowing conditions.
Priorities include exploring alternative modes of financing to reduce dependence on traditional loans, promoting rigorous management of public borrowing to avoid future crises, and developing policies that ensure a balance between development needs and repayment capacity.
The conference is part of a wider effort to strengthen Africa’s economic sovereignty. By optimizing debt management, the continent’s countries will be better able to withstand fluctuations in international markets and finance their structural projects without compromising their stability.
More than just a technical meeting, the Lomé Summit represents an historic opportunity for Africa to regain control of its financial destiny. The decisions taken at the summit will have a direct impact on the ability of countries to reconcile ambitious growth with debt control.