The world is currently facing an unprecedented level of sovereign debt – and debt is continuing to pile up. The state of sovereign borrowing was critical prior to the pandemic, with several countries already facing limited fiscal space and increasing levels of debt, but the situation has deteriorated, tipping some economies over the edge. In this seminar, we will present the preliminary conclusions of a paper on good practices in sovereign borrowing. The main topics covered will be:

The status and causes of the debt accumulation problem

The importance of debt management as a preventative measure

Initiatives put in place to address the causes and consequences of the debt problem

How the lack of transparency has hindered accurate debt sustainability assessments and investment analyses

Policy lessons critical to successful debt management.

Presentation of Research Paper: “The Debt Burden: how to create a better debt management framework”