Africa’s bond market gurus will gather in Livingstone, Zambia, on 29 October, to discuss trends and developments in the local currency bond markets. The 3 day gathering is organized by the African Financial Markets Initiative AFMI, which highlights African Development Bank’s leading role to develop Africa’s domestic local currency bond markets, establish best practices and document lessons.
The first day of the AFMI 10th anniversary workshop is open to the public, and highlights “enhancing transparency in African bond markets”. It includes panels on initiatives in the African capital markets ad steps to increase transparency in bond markets, led by your author.

There are also presentations on African Development Bank’s contributions to deepening local currency bond markets including: the data collection tool and platform, bringing together data from African central banks; the African Bond index ABABI, BADBC and BADBX compiled with Bloomberg.
A key highlight will be the progress of the African Domestic Bond Fund, recently listed in Mauritius.xx Other sessions cover regional integration, African credit risk measuring and a top Zambian panel highlighting the business opportunity in Zambia. Prof Leonce Ndikumana from Massachusetts University will speak on African illicit financial flows.
Top speakers also include Thapelo Tsheole (Chairman of the Committee of SADSC Securities Exchanges COSSE), Stefan Nalletamby (Director Financial Sector Development at AfDB), Cedric Mbeng Mezui (AfDB’s Chief Bond Markets Expert and AGFMI Coordinator), Joseph Rohm (MD Adventis and African Financial Sector Deepening Fund) and many others. Keynote speaker in the evening will be Christopher Marks (Managing Director and Head of Emerging Markets at Mitsubishi UFI Financial Group MUFG)
The conference is co-organized with Bank of Zambia and the session will include the Ministry of Finance, Lusaka Stock Exchange, BoZ, Investment Board and stakeholders.
The following days, 30-31 October, are closed sessions for central bankers.