By Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku
Abuja, Nigeria – Pan-African Development organization (AFRODAD) has launched the Media Debt Network Africa (MDNA) in Nairobi Kenya, East Africa.
The initiative was launched by AFRODAD for business journalists who report on debt and linked issues such as Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs), International Public finance including Private Public Finance, climate finance or financing for development in general.
A statement from AFRODAD said it decided to launch the MDNA because it wanted to promote cross border collaboration and reporting on public debt in Sub-Saharan countries.
‘Public debt is mainly monitored by the World Bank and the IMF. There is need for Africans to be more proactive in tracking and reporting on public debt. In several countries public debt is privileged information that is not accessible to the public. MDNA envisions an Africa where public debt is constantly monitored and reported effectively and boldly’, AFRODAD said.
The statement from AFRODAD further stated that the MDNA will promote the capture of success in addressing the debt crisis, including highlighting individuals who are taking bold steps in calling for action, reporting on public debt, educating people on debt related issues, promoting policies and legislation that put the peoples’ interests first among other thematic areas related to public debt.
AFRODAD) is a Pan-African organization committed to assisting the long-term development of the continent through its contribution to finding sustainable solutions to Africa’s challenges in debt, resource management and financial development.
The organization has been in existence for twenty-five (25) years, and it has been working with various partners and stakeholders.
During the AFRODAD Media Initiative (AFROMEDI I) of 2021, which was attended by 409 journalists from various countries and physically hosted in 7 of them, a number of recommendations for the way forward were submitted by participants. One of them was a request to have AFRODAD facilitate ongoing interactions among journalists from different African countries.
This suggestion was taken up through the conceptualization of a media network that would bring together journalists who report on debt and related issues across Africa. The network shall be named Media Debt Network Africa (MDNA).
Virtual AFROMED II conference in Nairobi Kenya was hosted by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Nigeria’s foremost NGO working on debt issues and anti-corruption in Nigeria.
Participants from Nigeria joined colleagues from Angola, Cameroon, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe from the Royalton Hotel in Abuja. The 117-member strong MDNA has ten Nigerian journalists drawn from the print and electronic media.
Alltimepost.com correspondent in Abuja membership was supported by ANEEJ.
