"The solutions that are developed to address the debt burden in emerging countries, naturally with a focus on Africa, must respect the characteristics of the debt portfolio of these countries and must be simple solutions, because, sometimes, they are very complex, involve negotiations endless and the country is almost asphyxiated and unable to move forward", defended the minister.
Vera Daves led the Angolan delegation at the summit with economic leaders from the G20, a group that includes the twenty largest economies in the world, the European Union and the African Union, organized in Brazil.
In a meeting in this context only with African countries and African multilateral institutions, the minister said that she can share the "point of view" and say what she would like to see happen."
"It was this opportunity to be heard and to express our vision on each of the topics that were discussed here [at the G20]", she said in an interview with Lusa held on the sidelines of the summit of finance ministers and governors of the Central Banks of the members of the G20.
"Recurrently, African countries are challenged to carry out fiscal consolidation, cut spending, tax, improve the tax base and we agree, but it must be clear that this without economic growth is fiction, so that only with economic growth is that we will have the capacity to implement this fiscal consolidation without suffocating our citizens", highlighted the representative of Angola.
"We expressed [at the G20 summit] that it is necessary that the demands for fiscal consolidation are obviously made, but that the need for liquidity is also respected, that African countries have liquidity that is not [only] for projects aimed at the vision of those who finances", she added.
The minister said that African countries know what is important for their economies and those who finance, that is, external agents and investors, must respect that vision and not condition liquidity to one project or another.
"Obviously we are available to discuss this vision and incorporate suggestions and contributions that come from those who finance, but, naturally, we have a say in terms of opinion, vision and strategy and development that we would like to see happen in our countries", argued.
With regard to Angola, Vera Daves said that the country intends, as much as possible, "to see more local content in terms of financing and initiatives that arise from the State-to-State relationship and then we continue to work so that risk perception is improved and it is realized that Angola is a good destination for private investment, because in relation to the State-to-State relationship, good or bad, it is happening".
"The next stage is for us to see more private capital investing in Angola and businesses establishing in Angola and signaling to us what we have to do to further improve the business environment in Angola," she added.
At the meeting held by the G20, African representatives also highlighted the need to increase their representation in international organizations.
"It continues to be a challenge to increase the representation of African countries in organizations, not only at a high level, but also at an intermediate level, at a base level, with technicians, directors and representation on 'boards' (groups), (...) is a message we send, and I take with me the satisfaction of having clearly conveyed this message", she concluded.
Brazil, which assumed the presidency of the G20 on December 1, 2023, was the host of the summit organized on February 28 and 29.
Brazil invited Portugal, Angola, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Nigeria, Norway and Singapore to be G20 observers in 2024.
