Under the management of the Forum and African Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) and the African Development Bank (ADB), Africa now has a tool to monitor debt interior and exterior and to strengthen its economic resilience. On the occasion of the 8th ordinary session of the Specialized technical committee on finance, monetary affairs, economic planning and integration held from September 29 to October 3 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the African finance ministers have adopted the African supervisory mechanism for debt.

The STC and the ministerial segment adopted and approved the creation of the African Debt Monitoring Mechanism (ADMM) in a context marked by a crisis in the underlying debt that prevails, with 9 African countries in a situation of over-indebtedness and 11 others exposed to a high risk of over-indebtedness, with the median service of total debt expected reach 29.2% of general public revenue in 2025.

In a statement made public on October 8, AFRODAD underlines that this decision is an important step in the strengthening the coordination of Member States in the area of debt, being as debt repayments absorb an increasing share of revenue public. This adoption follows decision EX.CL/Dec.1147 (XL) adopted in February 2022 by the 40th Executive Council of the African Union, which called the African Union Commission to study the establishment of a mechanism virtual monitoring of domestic and external debt at the level of mainland.

For Jason Rosario Braganza, executive director of AFRODAD, he It is an important step. “The ADMM is in line with the AU Agenda 2063 and the Abuja Treaty on the Establishment of African financial architecture. It is an essential part of debt restructuring reform program, which offers an approach coherent and coordinated debt restructuring in a united front. He will strengthen efforts to challenge biased credit ratings including are the subject of our savings from the three major rating agencies. This political orientation is essential for market sovereignty. financial, credit ratings, transparency and accountability in terms of debt,” he said.

The acting director of the Commission of the Union African for the economy, trade, tourism, industry and mines, Dr. Patrick Ndzana Olomo, said : “The finance ministers and central bank governors of the African Union took a bold step forward by approving the creation of the, a real-time debt analysis tool supported by AAMFI and aimed at improving financial management.”

Mr. Malack Luhanga, from the Data Management Office on debt from the Ministry of Finance of Zambia, considered that “it is important that the ADMM guarantees the transparency in debt management for all Member States at all stages of debt management, starting with strategy, contraction of debt, analysis and dissemination. Debt transparency must be anchored in the existing legal framework of a Member State. In addition, the ADMM must carry out periodic evaluations of the Member States.”

Afrodad campaigns for the creation of the ADMM since 2022 and, from a practical point of view, considers this evolution positive as a way to correct the misalignment of data portals on existing debt that is external to the continent and reflects the voice and the collective interests of Africa.