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Johannesburg

S O U T H E R N A F R I C A ’ S

DEBT CONUNDRUM2 - 3 /

JULY2019 SOUTH AFRICAAGENDA

Southern Africa’s Debt Conundrum Towards sustainable debt and development

Date: 2 - 3 July 2019 Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Rosebank

Conference Agenda

Day 1: Tuesday, 2 July, 2019

08:00 08:30 Registration

08:30 09:00

Welcome & Opening Ceremony: Ms. Muthoni Wanyeki – OSF Africa Regional Office, Africa Director Mr. Siphosami Malunga – OSISA, Executive Director Moderator: Mr. Velaphi Mamba, OSISA Economic and Social Justice Cluster, Team leader

09:00 10:00

Keynote Addresses: Professor Adebayo Olukoshi, Director for Africa & West Asia, International IDEA Mr. Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, UN Independent expert on foreign debt and human rights Moderator: Ms. Chilufya Chileshe - OSISA Chairperson

10:00 – 10:30 Tea Break

10:30 11:00 11:00 11:30

Session 1: Setting the Scene Session Objective: This session will set the tone for the debt conference by broadly reflecting on the previous debt crisis a decade ago. What was the role of HIPC initiatives and did they help at all? How has the region performed lately in terms of debt accumulation, sustainability and development? What is the form of the new debt crisis in the region, who are the key players and how are citizens (especially labour) being affected by the crisis?

Mr. Brian Kagoro – OSF Africa Regional Office, Ms. Palesa Shipalana – SAIIA, Economic Diplomacy Programme

Moderator: Ms. Nalucha Nganga Ziba – Action Aid Zambia, Country Director Session Q & A

11:30 12:10

Session 2: The role of the South, development banks and private lenders in the region’s development agenda Session Objective: Creditors have a critical role in preventing unsustainable debt situations. However, despite global momentum around responsible investment, the lending practices of relatively new official bilateral lenders, commercial creditors and private sector investors are not always seen as compatible with existing voluntary guidelines for sustainable financing in some of the world’s weakest economies. This session will seek to understand the role and mission of the various credit facilities that exist. We want to know what measures are creditors taking to make responsible investments in the region? What are the advantages and challenges of state-contingent debt instruments as tools to ensure debt sustainability? What measures are taken to ensure that the sovereign debt being given to states is not unethical, illicit and odious?

Day 1: Tuesday 2 July, 2019

08:00-08:30

08:30-09:00

09:00-10:00

09:00-10:00

10:30-11:00

11:00-11:30

11:30-12:10

Tea Break10:00 -10:30

2

12:10 – 12:30

• Mr. Yao Graham - Third World Network Africa, Executive Director • Mr. George Kararach – African Development Bank, Lead Economist • Ms. Memory Kachambwa - African Women's Development and Communication

Network (FemNet) Executive Director Moderator: Dr. Godfrey Kanyenze - Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe (LEDRIZ), Executive Director Session Q & A

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch

13:30 – 14:10 14:10 – 14:30

Session 3: Public-private partnership blessing or a curse? Session Objective: The region has seen renewed interest in public-private partnership (PPPs) projects. This is where businesses supplement public investment in return for reaping rewards such as tolls and fees. Many governments in the region are turning to PPPs in the hope that the private sector will finance public infrastructure and public services which been savagely hit by the financial crisis. In the context of the economic crisis, governments are under increased pressure to find quick answers to hard questions about maintaining public services and funding infrastructure. Some will argue that PPPs will enhance service delivery, provide critical infrastructure needs such as hospitals, schools, waste treatment, tourism and transport projects. On the other hand, others have cautioned that PPPs are used to conceal public borrowing, while providing long-term state guarantees for profits to private companies. Private sector corporations must maximise profits if they are to survive. This is fundamentally incompatible with protecting the environment and ensuring universal access to quality public services. This session will discuss both sides of the debate and uncover if we are essentially ‘back to the future’?

• Ms. Caroline Chema Eric –World Bank, PPP Operations Officer • Mr. Isaah Mhlanga, Alexander Forbes Investment, Executive Chief Economist • Ms. Lebohang Pheko – Trade Collective, Senior Research Fellow • Mr. Fanwell Bokosi – African Forum and Network on Debt and Development,

Executive Director Moderator: Ms Kantha Rattay- KR Consulting, PPP consultant Session Q & A

14:30 – 15:00 15:00 – 15:30

Session 4: Prudent Stewardship of Public Finances and Resources Session Objective: The lack of transparency when issuing debt and the rise of collateralised debt are causes for concern in Southern Africa. There is a growing trend in the region where money that is borrowed is not used for what it is intended. What is lacking is policy-making and implementation that is ethical, efficient and responsive to the needs of citizens on the ground. This session will discuss the role creditors have in disclosing debt transactions to the public, Parliament’s role in strengthening transparency & accountability in Public Finance Management, the role of Debt Management Departments and how CSOs can actively hold governments accountable.

• Hon. Mr. Situmbeko Mosokotwane – Zambia, Member of Parliament • Mr. Richard Messick - Open Society Justice Initiative, Consultant • Ms. Janet Zhou, ZIMCODD Executive Director • Hon. Ms. Tsepang Mosena – Lesotho, Member of Parliament and SADC PF

Deputy Chairperson Moderator: Ms. Chenai Mukumba – CUTS International, Zambia Session Q & A

12:30-13:30 Lunch

12:10-12:30

13:30-14:10

14:10-14:30

14:30-15:00

15:00-15:30

3

15:30 – 15:50 Tea Break

15:50 16:30 16:30 16:55

Session 5: Investigating Southern Africa’s Debt Conundrum Session Objective: OSISA commissioned an investigative study, the Southern Africa’s Debt Conundrum project with the aim of answering the core question: What is the nature of the Debt Crisis in Southern Africa, with particular reference to Angola, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe? The investigation is being led by renowned journalist Brezhnev Malaba who is tracing the genesis of these countries’ debt problems. No stone is left unturned as Malaba and his team interrogate the role of national governments and international financial institutions in this debt sustainability challenge. This session will highlight the key preliminary themes and findings in anticipation of the investigation launch later this year.

Moderator: Ms. Khadija Patel, Investigative Journalist Session Q & A

17:00 Announcements and Closing of Day 1

Day 2: Wednesday, 3 July, 2019

08:30 08:45 Day 1 Recap, Conference Rapporteur

08:45 09:15 09:15 09:45

Session 6: Impact of the debt crisis on the youth Session objective: One of the notional paradoxes of the Africa rising narrative is the rhetoric of youth unemployment in a continent, where about 65 to 70 percent of its population are young people. This session will focus on the challenges youth are facing in the context of the debt crisis and will cover the unemployment challenge while also paying attention to youths in DRC, youths living in marginalized communities in Zimbabwe, informal traders and disability youth associations.

Ms. Arlene Agneroh – Founder of Kukula Group Mr. Michael Ndiweni – Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association

(BVTA) Executive Director Ms. Flaida Macheze - National Farmers Union (UNAC), Prgamme

Officer Mr. Boniface Massah - Africa Disability Alliance

Moderator: Ms. Âurea Mouzinho - OSISA Economic Justice Programme (Angola) Session Q & A

9:45 9:55 Breakaway sessions debrief

10:00 12:30

(Morning Tea Break,11:00 – 11.20)

ESJ Cluster (Room *) Session Title: How best can Socio-economic Rights be Sustainably Financed and Realized in the Context of Increasing Debt in Southern Africa? Panelists:

Mr. Boaz Waruku - Africa Network Campaign on Education For All (ANCEFA), Programme Manager

Human Rights Cluster (Room*) Session Title: Holding State and non-state actors accountable for public finances, loan contraction and public debt management through human rights based approaches Panelists:

Mr. Deprose Muchena – Amnesty International

15:30-15:50 Tea Break

15:50-16:30

16:30-17:00

17:00

Day 2: Wednesday, 2 July, 2019

08:30- 08:45

08:45- 09:15

09:15- 09:45

10:00- 12:30

(Morning Tea Break, 11:00-11:20

09:45-09:55 Breakaway sessions debrief

3

15:30 – 15:50 Tea Break

15:50 16:30 16:30 16:55

Session 5: Investigating Southern Africa’s Debt Conundrum Session Objective: OSISA commissioned an investigative study, the Southern Africa’s Debt Conundrum project with the aim of answering the core question: What is the nature of the Debt Crisis in Southern Africa, with particular reference to Angola, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe? The investigation is being led by renowned journalist Brezhnev Malaba who is tracing the genesis of these countries’ debt problems. No stone is left unturned as Malaba and his team interrogate the role of national governments and international financial institutions in this debt sustainability challenge. This session will highlight the key preliminary themes and findings in anticipation of the investigation launch later this year.

Moderator: Ms. Khadija Patel, Investigative Journalist Session Q & A

17:00 Announcements and Closing of Day 1

Day 2: Wednesday, 3 July, 2019

08:30 08:45 Day 1 Recap, Conference Rapporteur

08:45 09:15 09:15 09:45

Session 6: Impact of the debt crisis on the youth Session objective: One of the notional paradoxes of the Africa rising narrative is the rhetoric of youth unemployment in a continent, where about 65 to 70 percent of its population are young people. This session will focus on the challenges youth are facing in the context of the debt crisis and will cover the unemployment challenge while also paying attention to youths in DRC, youths living in marginalized communities in Zimbabwe, informal traders and disability youth associations.

Ms. Arlene Agneroh – Founder of Kukula Group Mr. Michael Ndiweni – Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association

(BVTA) Executive Director Ms. Flaida Macheze - National Farmers Union (UNAC), Prgamme

Officer Mr. Boniface Massah - Africa Disability Alliance

Moderator: Ms. Âurea Mouzinho - OSISA Economic Justice Programme (Angola) Session Q & A

9:45 9:55 Breakaway sessions debrief

10:00 12:30

(Morning Tea Break,11:00 – 11.20)

ESJ Cluster (Room *) Session Title: How best can Socio-economic Rights be Sustainably Financed and Realized in the Context of Increasing Debt in Southern Africa? Panelists:

Mr. Boaz Waruku - Africa Network Campaign on Education For All (ANCEFA), Programme Manager

Human Rights Cluster (Room*) Session Title: Holding State and non-state actors accountable for public finances, loan contraction and public debt management through human rights based approaches Panelists:

Mr. Deprose Muchena – Amnesty International

4

& Civil Society Education Fund Africa Coordinator

Mr. Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky – UN Independent Expert on Debt and Human Rights

Mr. Jorge Matine – Mozambique Budget Monitoring Forum

Chair: Ms. Cynthia Ngwalo Lungu – OSISA, Programme Manager, Health Rights Rapporteur: Tshegofatso Diphukwane - OSISA Programme Support Officer

Southern Africa Regional Office, Director

Hon. Mr. Tendai Biti – Zimbabwe MP

Ms. Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh – Southern Africa Litigation Center

Chair: Mr. Dzimbabwe Chimbga – OSISA, Programme Manager, Access to Justice

Rapporteur: Brenda Madisha - OSISA Programme Support Officer

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch

13:30 15:30 (Afternoon Tea Break,14:30 – 14.50)

Rights (Room*) Session Title: The Gendered Dimensions of Public Debt: Understanding the Underlying Systems of Power and Privilege Panelists:

Ms. Jabulile Buthelezi – Media and Communications Professional

Ms. Nancy Kachingwe - Consultant

Ms. Sarah Mukasa – OSIEA, Deputy Director

Chair: Ms. Alice Kanengoni Rapporteur: Patricia Dimhairo - OSISA Women’s Rights and Communications Programme Associate

Democracy and governance (Room*) Session Title: The nexus between democracy and debt: Interrogating citizen agency in the debt conundrumPanelists:

Ms. Janet Zhou - ZIMCODD Executive Director

Ms. Khadija Patel - Investigative Journalist

Hon. Dr. Kanyisile Tshabalala - Former South Africa MP

Chair: Ms. Lusako Munyenyembe – OSISA, Programme Manager, Transparency and Accountability Rapporteur: Benedict Komeke - OSISA Programme Support Officer

15:30 – 15:45 Quick recess

15:45 16:45 16:45 17:00

Plenary session report back Session Rapporteurs (5mins each) Plenary discussion (35mins) Moderator: Ms. Elfia Elesse OSISA, ESJC Programme Manager, DRC Conclusions and Way Forward OSISA HoP, Mr. Percy Makombe Moderator: Mr. Velaphi Mamba, OSISA Economic and Social Justice Cluster, Team leader

17:00 Closing remarks Ms. Chilufya Chileshe - OSISA Chairperson

13:30- 15:30

Afternoon Tea Break 14:30 - 14:50

15:45- 16:45

16:45- 17:00

17:00

12:30-13:30 Lunch

15:30-15:45 Quick recess

Johannesburg

S O U T H E R N A F R I C A ’ S

DEBT CONUNDRUM2 - 3 /

JULY2019 SOUTH AFRICA