The IMF’s technical assistance center for Southern Africa, AFRITAC South, the Africa Training Institute, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the South African Reserve Bank Academy jointly organized a seminar from November 3−7 in Pretoria to discuss Basel II and Basel III capital adequacy framework and macro-prudential approach to bank supervision. The seminar brought together central bank officials from 10 AFRITAC South member countries including Botswana, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

International experts discussed with the participants the key aspects of the Basel II and Basel III capital adequacy framework and macro-prudential supervision in conjunction with the frameworks for risk-based supervision, bank resolution, and the safety net framework. The overlaps and inter-linkages among these standards and frameworks were explored and extensively discussed from the point of view of their relevance to bank examinations. Building on these discussions, participants from Botswana, Namibia, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe made presentations on their country experiences and challenges going forward.

In his address to the participants, Mr. Neil Maree, the acting Deputy Head of the Bank Supervision Department, SARB, highlighted the importance of effective banking supervision in the course of implementation of higher and new regulatory standards. Mr Mshiyeni Belle, Head of the Secretariat of the Committee of the Central Bank Governors (CCBG), noted that the seminar inputs would be very useful to the Secretariat’s ongoing work on peer-to-peer learning and harmonization of regulatory standards and practices in the SADC region.

Useful links:

• IMF Technical Assistance

• Factsheet: IMF Technical Assistance Centers

• AFRITAC South

• Africa Training Institute