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From June 17th to 19th, 2024, the Tunisian Observatory of Economy (TOE) had the opportunity to participate in the Debt and Development Academy (DaDA) in Arusha, Tanzania. This flagship event, organized by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) and co-hosted by the Pan-African Lawyers Union (PALU) and the Afrifem-Nawi Collective, brought together a wide range of African Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and activists to engage in critical conversations on debt, development, and economic justice.
As one of the few organizations in Tunisia actively working on debt issues, TOE's participation in DaDA was not only an opportunity for organizational development but also a chance to forge stronger connections with CSOs across the continent. These interactions were instrumental in reinforcing TOE's commitment to advocating for a fairer, more equitable financial system, both within Tunisia and globally.
The sessions at DaDA were rich with insights that directly relate to TOE’s work. A key takeaway was the importance of framing debt within a larger context that includes not just financial and economic concerns, but also issues of human rights, gender equality, climate change, and illicit financial flows. The presentations around the feminist approach to debt were particularly impactful, highlighting the disproportionate burden of debt on women and marginalized communities. In Tunisia, where gender justice remains a significant challenge, understanding how debt impacts women and girls will be critical to TOE’s future advocacy agenda moving forward. This perspective has inspired us in TOE to further integrate gender considerations into our work, ensuring that our approach to debt reform is inclusive and progressive.
Another pivotal session focused on the role of parliaments in managing public debt. This was particularly relevant to TOE's work, as Tunisia’s parliament has historically had limited involvement in the oversight of government borrowing and debt management. As a result, the decision-making processes surrounding public debt have lacked transparency and accountability. The discussions at DaDA helped us recognize the importance of pushing for stronger parliamentary engagement in debt governance. Moving forward, TOE aims to focus on advocating for more robust legislative accountability mechanisms to ensure that the public debt is managed in a way that prioritizes the long-term developmental needs and interests of the population, rather than short-term political gains.
Moreover, the DaDA sessions on global financial systems and the political economy of debt reinforced TOE's understanding of the structural challenges facing Tunisia and other African countries. The rapid accumulation of public debt across the Global South has deep roots in global financial systems that prioritize the interests of foreign creditors over those of the local populations. This insight is invaluable for TOE as we continue our efforts to raise awareness about the external pressures contributing to Tunisia’s debt crisis while also highlighting the failure of the international financial architecture, particularly in its handling of debt, and the urgent need for its reform. The fight for debt justice cannot be isolated—it must be part of a larger global movement aimed at reforming the international financial system to make it more inclusive and equitable for developing countries.
As we reflect on our participation in DaDA, the knowledge gained further entrenched the belief we have in TOE in the importance of collective action, solidarity, and the need for a systemic approach to tackling the debt crisis and will have a lasting impact on TOE’s approach to debt advocacy in Tunisia.