Advancing Debt Sustainability

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 | FES New York Office

Developing countries’ debt service burdens and debt sustainability have become a central concern in global discussions on sustainable development and climate action, but the international community has yet to find consensus on a commensurate response. To help achieve such consensus and deliver reform at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD 4), to be held in Spain from 30 June to 3 July 2025, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Office in New York have started initial discussions at the expert level to identify ambitious but politically feasible solutions.

In follow-up to a discussion in December 2023, FES New York and UN DESA's Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO) co-hosted an expert-level meeting on Tuesday, 23 April 2024 (8:00-9:30 EDT). Taking place on the sidelines of the 2024 ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development (FfD Forum), the meeting served to update stakeholders on UN DESA's ongoing debt work as they embark on the official preparations for the Fourth FfD Conference in Spain next year. While providing an opportunity for attending experts to share their reflections on the state of discussions, the meeting also informed on next steps regarding the engagement with UN Member States as they plan to convene for a first substantive meeting of the preparatory committee in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the end of July, 2024. The meeting was held in a hybrid format under Chatham House rule. 

Welcome:

• Michael Bröning, Executive Director, FES New York

Remarks: 

• Shari Spiegel, Director, Financing for Sustainable Development Office, UN DESA
• Sara Burke, Senior Policy Analyst, FES New York
• Oliver Schwank, Chief, Policy Analysis and Development Branch, Financing for Sustainable Development Office, UN DESA

Tour de Table & Open Discussion