The MEFMI Secretariat hosted a courtesy visit by the Executive Director of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), Dr Baba Y. Musa, and the Head of the Debt and Development Finance Branch at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Ms Penelope Hawkins, on 3 July 2026 at the MEFMI Secretariat in Harare, Zimbabwe. The delegation was received by MEFMI Management, led by Mr. Jacob Mukamba, Acting Executive Director and staff representatives.
The visiting delegation also included Mr. Mohammed Bara Adamu, Director, Fiscal Policy, Debt Management and Regional Integration Department at WAIFEM and Mr. Lihle Dlamini, Senior Economist at the Ministry of Finance of Eswatini. The visit provided an opportunity to reaffirm the longstanding partnership between MEFMI, WAIFEM and UNCTAD, and to explore opportunities for deeper collaboration in regional capacity development.
During the discussions, Dr Musa reflected on WAIFEM’s establishment in 1996 and the close relationship that has existed between the two institutions since then. He noted that MEFMI’s institutional experience provided valuable insights during WAIFEM’s formative years and acknowledged the important role regional capacity-building institutions continue to play in strengthening Africa’s capacity to develop and implement home-grown macroeconomic and financial policies.
In its discussions with MEFMI, the WAIFEM delegation expressed its openness to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions through staff exchanges, joint learning initiatives and the sharing of regional experiences. These initiatives would help respond to the growing demand from member countries for practical, peer-to-peer capacity development. and provide opportunities for the institutions to learn from each other’s experiences and expertise.
The Head of the Debt and Development Finance Branch at the UNCTAD, Ms Penelope Hawkins, highlighted the importance of strong regional institutions such as MEFMI and WAIFEM in supporting UNCTAD’s work with member countries, emphasising that partnerships with these trusted institutions enhance the relevance, reach and impact of capacity-building initiatives. She further noted the need for continuous learning and skills development to respond to the emerging demands of the rapidly evolving global economic and financial landscape requires.
The Acting Executive Director expressed appreciation for the Institute’s continued collaboration with WAIFEM and UNCTAD and reaffirmed MEFMI’s commitment to strengthening such strategic partnerships that promote institutional excellence, knowledge exchange and sustainable capacity development across Africa.
The delegation also toured the refurbished MEFMI Secretariat as part of the visit. The engagement concluded with a shared commitment to advancing practical areas of cooperation, strengthening institutional and professional knowledge exchange, and expanding regional capacity-development initiatives.