Date
16 September 2026
AFRODAD and SADCOPAC Forge Stronger Partnership to Advance Parliamentary Oversight, Debt Accountability and Africa’s Common Position on Debt
[Manzini, Eswatini] — The African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) and the Southern Africa Development Community Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (SADCOPAC) have formalised a partnership to strengthen legislative oversight, promote responsible debt management, and advance effective public financial management across the Southern African region.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to empowering African legislatures to exercise their oversight and accountability functions, particularly in relation to public borrowing, debt management, and the use of public resources.
As AFRODAD marks 30 years of advancing debt justice, the collaboration represents an important step in translating debt advocacy into stronger institutional action and parliamentary accountability.
Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight for Debt Justice
Unsustainable debt and weak public financial management continue to underscore the importance of strong legislative institutions capable of scrutinising public borrowing, demanding transparency, and holding governments accountable.
Through this partnership, AFRODAD and SADCOPAC will collaborate on technical support, advocacy, and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen the effectiveness of public accounts committees and other legislative oversight institutions.
The organisations recognise that effective debt oversight requires access to information, technical capacity, appropriate legislative frameworks, and the institutional space to exercise independent scrutiny.
“This partnership with SADCOPAC marks an important milestone in AFRODAD’s 30-year journey of advancing debt justice and accountability across Africa. It translates our advocacy into stronger parliamentary oversight, equipping public accounts committees with the knowledge and tools needed to scrutinise public borrowing and hold governments accountable. By working together, we are moving from principles on paper to stronger oversight in practice, while advancing the Common African Position on Debt and strengthening Africa’s capacity to shape a fairer global debt architecture.”
— Janet Zhou, Executive Director, AFRODAD
Advancing a Shared Advocacy Agenda
The partnership will focus on strengthening joint advocacy and institutional capacity in key areas of public financial governance.
Promoting stronger public financial management legislation
AFRODAD and SADCOPAC will support advocacy for the adaptation of the SADC Model Law on Public Financial Management and the Model Public Audit Act by member states. These frameworks provide important reference points for strengthening legislative oversight, transparency, and accountability in the management of public resources.
Applying the African Borrowing Charter
The organisations will collaborate to advance the application of the African Borrowing Charter in debt management. The partnership seeks to translate the Charter’s principles of responsible borrowing and public spending into practical oversight, including the scrutiny of public borrowing, guarantees, public expenditure, and debt-related commitments.
Building the capacity of African legislatures
Through knowledge sharing, training, and advocacy programmes, AFRODAD and SADCOPAC will work to strengthen the capacity of public accounts committees and legislative institutions to analyse debt-related decisions, question public finance authorities, and exercise more effective oversight.
AFRODAD’s regional research on parliamentary involvement in loan approvals and rejections across Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe highlights the value of capacity building in enabling legislators to engage in more informed debates and strengthen parliamentary scrutiny. The partnership provides a platform to extend such efforts across the region.
Advancing the Common African Position on Debt
The collaboration between AFRODAD and SADCOPAC contributes to a broader continental objective: advancing the Common African Position on Debt and strengthening Africa’s voice in the global debt governance architecture.
Effective implementation of Africa’s shared debt priorities requires strong institutions at the national and regional levels. Parliamentary oversight plays a critical role in ensuring that borrowing decisions are transparent, accountable, and aligned with public interests.
Every legislature that strengthens its scrutiny of public borrowing contributes to a broader African effort to shape a fairer and more accountable global financial system.
AFRODAD and SADCOPAC will therefore work to strengthen the link between regional advocacy, national legislative action, and continental debt policy priorities.
From Principles to Practice
The partnership underscores the importance of collective action in addressing Africa’s debt challenges. By combining institutional expertise, advocacy efforts, and capacity-building initiatives, AFRODAD and SADCOPAC seek to strengthen legislative accountability and support more sustainable public financial management.
Their shared ambition is to contribute to an Africa where legislatures are equipped to scrutinise borrowing, governments are held accountable for public resources, and African institutions play a stronger role in shaping the continent’s debt and development agenda.
Africa must be a rule maker, not a rule taker, in the global financial architecture.
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About AFRODAD
The African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) is an African civil society organisation advancing debt justice, responsible borrowing, sustainable development, and accountable public financial governance across the continent.
About SADCOPAC
The Southern Africa Development Community Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (SADCOPAC) is a regional platform bringing together public accounts committees to strengthen parliamentary oversight, accountability, and public financial management.
Media Contact: media@afrodad.org; communication@afrodad.org