Africa prepares memorandum on extra technical assistance

 Finance ministers and central bank governors of Africa, including Angola, executive directors have drafted a Draft Memorandum 2020, which will be presented to the leadership of the Bretton Woods Institutions, to increase technical assistance.

The document was prepared at the end of the Caucus Africa meeting/2020, which took place through videoconference on August 6th of this year, according to a note to which ANGOP had access last Monday from the Ministry of Finance.

This memo aims to obtain support on issues related to increased external aid and effectiveness of assistance during the pandemic, increased availability of health services, education, water and social protection, as well as  strengthening of macro-fiscal and governance policies.

This aid also aims to strengthen markets, private sector and employment, as well as to increase the representativeness and voice of African states within the Bretton Woods Institutions.

At this meeting, the Angolan delegation was chaired by Finance minister Vera Daves.

At the gathering, the ministers and governors of the central banks presented in a joint and coordinated manner, the great and current concerns affecting the economies of the African continent.

The forum was held under the motto "Protecting Human Capital in the days of COVID-19: saving lives, preserving well-being and protecting productivity and employment".

Topics such as the Economic and Social Impact of COVID-19 in Africa, African Countries' Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic, multilateral to the COVID-19 Pandemic, were addressed at the meeting, in addition to the elaboration of the synthesis of the African Caucus Memorandum 2020.

It is a preparatory meeting considered relevant for African member countries, aiming at a cohesive and effective participation in the annual autumn meetings of the Bretton Woods institutions.

Currently, and taking into account that several African countries are facing major economic challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting served fundamentally for a joint and assertive approach on the necessary measures and the most appropriate means to counter the consequences of 19.

Besides minister Vera Daves, other government officials attended the gathering, such as the minister of Economy and Planning, Sérgio Santos, the Governor of the National Bank of Angola (BNA), José de Lima Massano, and the Secretary of State for Labour and Social Security, Pedro José Filipe