A United Nations official on Sunday urged African states to borrow in local currencies in order to improve their debt sustainability.

Vera Songwe, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, told Xinhua in Nairobi that the continent will need to work together with the financial market as well as concessional lenders like the World Bank and the African Development Bank to help bring down the risk of local currency lending.

"Local currency denominated debt issued domestically or abroad could help the continent reduce its exposure to exchange rate risk that could lead to debt distress," Songwe said during the 49th Plenary Session of the African Economic Research Consortium Biannual Research Workshop.

The five-day event brought together over 200 participants, including researchers, policymakers and private sector actors.

Songwe said a number of African countries such as Rwanda and South Africa have already issued local-currency debt.