Africa

There is a correlation between climate change, climate finance, and unsustainable debt levels in Africa. In this African Sovereign Debt Justice Network (AfSDJN) Brief, we highlight this connection focusing on eight countries in debt distress currently (Chad, The Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Sudan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) and one highly indebted country (Ethiopia) in sub-Saharan Africa. These countries (referred to here as Debt and Climate Vulnerable (DCV) countries) are also some of the most climate vulnerable countries despite having some of the least carbon footprints.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to achieve the expansion of intra- African trade through the harmonisation and coordination of trade liberalisation and facilitation across Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Africa in general and "enhance competitiveness at the industry and enterprise level through exploiting opportunities for scale production, continental market access and better reallocation of resources". Negotiations for the Phase II Protocols of the AfCFTA are ongoing. Of particular importance to this paper will be the Protocol on Investment which is currently under negotiation. This paper will focus on how the Investment Protocol can contribute to promoting sustainable development on the African continent.

The Academic Forum is an inclusive and accessible forum that brings together undergraduate and graduate students as well as early career researchers from across the world interested in international economic law issues as they relate to Africa and the Global South. Its goals are to encourage and build core research skills in teaching, research, theory, methods and writing; developing content for Afronomicslaw.org and where possible to encourage authors to submit to the African Journal of International Economic Law; holding workshops and masterclasses on core research skills in teaching, research, theory, methods and writing; and organizing annual poster/essay competitions on international economic law issues.

The News and Events category publishes the latest News and Events relating to International Economic Law relating to Africa and the Global South. Every week, Afronomicslaw.org receive the News and Events in their e-mail accounts. The News and Events published every week include conferences, major developments in the field of International Economic Law in Africa at the national, sub-regional and regional levels as well as relevant case law. News and Events with a Global South focus are also often included.

The Master's of Law (LLM) degree in International Trade and Investment Law in Africa is the first of its kind to be offered in Africa. It establishes a higher education and training programme based in and focused on, Africa with full exposure to the international world of trade and investment.

The Afronomicslaw.org Academic Forum Guest Lecture Series brings experts and discussants together to discuss broad issues arising from international economic law as they relate to Africa and the Global South.

The conference will provide opportunities for deeper engagement in research and knowledge-exchange on matters pertinent to the resolution of debt on the continent. The plenary will explore themes at the nexus between corporate insolvency law and sovereign restructuring law towards identifying the barriers to transnational solutions to debt resolution for countries across Africa. It will also feature insights from the experiences of various emerging economies.

The Africa Task Force of the Vatican Covid-19 Commission hosted by the Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network-Africa (JENA) brings together eminent experts: Professor Jeffrey Sachs from Columbia University, Professor James Gathii from Loyola University Chicago (LUC), Marta Pedrajas, Economy Task Force - Vatican COVID-19 Commission and Professor Horman Chitonge from the University of Cape Town (UCT) to offer suggestions in regard to what the international community can do to establish a more just international financial order that can unblock the flow of global funds to Sub-Saharan African and other developing countries that need it.

Paper II of the African Sovereign Debt Justice Network Paper Series.