The Labour Party manifesto said that “recognising the growing political and economic importance of African countries, we will deliver a new approach to the continent to foster opportunities for mutual long-term benefit.”Alex Vines, who leads the Africa Programme at the Chatham House think-tank in London, tells African Business that “the Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said that resetting relations with the Global South is one of his top three priorities – and he has Africa partly in mind.” Prior to the election, Labour’s then-shadow minister for Africa, Lyn Brown, suggested that an incoming Labour government would seek to help African countries struggling with meeting sovereign bond repayments. However, she did not clarify whether this would mean assisting African countries under the existing G20 “Common Framework” for debt restructuring, or whether the new government would seek to establish new frameworks entirely.
AFRICAN BUSINESS