In response to the “Increasing African Voices to Shape Special Drawing Rights, SDRs, the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Nigeria in collaboration with the Gates and Melinda Foundation, USA and the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development, AFRODAD, Zimbabwe held a Two-Day Capacity Building Workshop for CSOs media in Abuja.
By Chimezie Godfrey
In response to the “Increasing African Voices to Shape Special Drawing Rights, SDRs, the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Nigeria in collaboration with the Gates and Melinda Foundation, USA and the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development, AFRODAD, Zimbabwe held a Two-Day Capacity Building Workshop for CSOs media in Abuja.
The workshop which aims to enhance understanding and capacity among African development stakeholders on the mechanism, technicalities and implications of SDRs, as a response to the economic challenges triggered by the pandemic that the Internet Monetary Fund, IMF allocated $650b in SDRs, with $420b favouring Advanced economies.
To respond to the phenomenon and create an enabling environment for efficient engagements, ANEEJ and the partners have identified the need for advocacy and capacity building in managing and utilizing SDRs effectively.
The two-day workshop was facilitated by Dr. Terfa Abraham, an economist and senior research fellow of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, Abuja.
Some of the key areas of the training include ‘Utilization of the SDRs in Nigeria, Overnighting SDRs and Debt Financing, African Borrowing Charter – Principles, Issues and Implications for Nigeria and SDR and Deficit Financing in Nigeria.
A pre and post-test evaluation of the SDRs training held in addition to the formal public campaign.
To set the advocacy in motion and interrogate the SDRs, about 30 CSOs and Media participants at the training include Mr. Mohammed Bougei Attah, National Coordinator, Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative, Kaduna, Prince Chris Azor, IPCRC, Anambra and Comrade Taiwo Otitolaiye, National Coordinator, Publish What You Pay, PWYP Nigeria.
SDRs are components of external assets or reserve assets in the balance of payment accounts that are readily available to countries who members of IMF.
