AERC participates in the BMGF Partners Convention on Debt, SDRs and MDB Reform Advocacy

March 3, 2023

AERC participates in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ( BMGF) Partners Convention on Debt, Special Drawing Rights (SDR), and Multilateral Development Banks (MDB) Reform Advocacy in Nairobi on March 1-2, 2023. AERC representatives were Dr. Scholastic Odhiambo and Dr. Diana Muchai all from the research department of the organization.

BMGF Partners Convention on Debt, SDRs and MDB Reform Advocacy was held in Nairobi on 1-2 March 2023. The global partners working on research and advocacy relating to Debt, SDR and MDB Reform working together on the theme are the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), Africatalyst Global Development Advisory, African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD), Jubilee USA Network, ONE, Oxfam and UNECA.

The meeting objectives of the convention are to share analysis and strategic thinking around key equitable economic recovery topics; with a heavy focus on sovereign debt, access and utilization of SDRs, and leveraging MDB reforms; share recent work among partners and key stakeholders; identify opportunities for enhanced alignment and coordination around common goals; review progress, lessons learned, and challenges from work to date; review and refine theory (theories) of change; build stronger connections between partners, and pathways for collaboration to enable coherence. Identify broader networks and opportunities within international policy processes, including the Bridgetown Agenda, and IFI spring meetings; identify the “next step” and make mutual commitments.