9 April
15.00 CEST

Springs Meetings: Better before bigger

Webinar organised by Climate Action Network International 

The Spring Meetings (April 15-21) are taking place in DC in a context where finance is very high on the agenda and critical decisions need to be made. However, many 'reforms' and alternatives on the table are far from being adequate and fair. Those 'false solutions' need to be denounced and real propositions need to be centered to achieve the transformation of the financial system we need to see happening. The objective of this event is to help climate advocates and activists to better understand what is at stake in the context of the World Bank and IMF negotiations, why we need to push for a wider transformation of those institutions and how to engage concretely with the 2024 Spring Meetings.

Speakers:

• Mariana Paoli, Global Advocacy Lead at Christian Aid
• Jon Sward, Environment Project Manager at Bretton Woods Project
• Federico Sibaja, IMF Campaign Manager at Recourse
• Iolanda Fresnillo, Policy and Advocacy Manager Debt Justice, Eurodad
• Alison Doig, Senior Advisor at Recourse
• Claudio Fernandes, Economist at Gestos
• Joab Okanda, Pan Africa Senior Advocacy Advisor at Christian Aid

Watch it here

17 April
15.00 - 16.30 CEST

Is a feminist vision on public debt possible?

Organised by ActionAid International, AfSDJN, APMDD, Budget Advocacy Network, Debt Justice Norway, ESCR-Net, Eurodad, FEMNET, Gender Action, Latindadd, MENAFem Movement, SAPSN, SEATINI, Third World Network, WEDO. 

This session will delve into the intricate relationship between debt, gender justice, and human rights, drawing insights from the upcoming book "Feminism in Public Debt: A Human Rights Approach" (Bristol University Press). We aim to uncover the gender biases embedded within current orthodox economic policies and explore strategies for transformative change. Through a discussion including experts from diverse fields and IMF staff, we will examine how responses to debt crises not only disproportionately affect women, exacerbating gender inequalities and undermining human rights, but are based on gender-biased assumptions about gender division of labor and women’s unpaid and underpaid care work. Our discussion will focus on promoting solutions that shift the paradigm towards a feminist human rights-centered approach to debt sustainability, challenging the narrative that prioritizes debt repayment over the well-being of communities.

Speakers:

• Shereen Talaat, Founder, MENAFem Movement
• Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, Senior Researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research of Argentina, National University of Rio Negro
• Penelope Hawkins, Senior Economic Affairs Officer at UNCTAD
• Monique Newiak, Deputy Unit Chief, Inclusion and Gender Unit, IMF

Moderated by Patricia Miranda, Global Advocacy Director, Latindadd

Watch it here

18 April
23.00 - 00.30 CEST

Fit for purpose? Reviewing green conditionality in the IMF RST and the World Bank DPF

Organised by Recourse, Bretton Woods Project, Eurodad, Christian Aid, Boston University - Global Development Policy Center, Alternative Law Collective, Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Power Shift Africa.

In light of the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) interim review, this event discusses how the IMF and the WBG are shaping the conversation around energy policy for decarbonisation, including through the RST and World Bank development policy financing (DPF). Additionally, the session will discuss concrete recommendations and steps forward that stakeholders can consider in the RST interim review.

Speakers:

• Jon Sward, Environment Project Manager, Bretton Woods Project
• Alexander Kentikelenis, Advisor, Recourse
• Stephane Hallegat, Senior Climate Change Advisor, World Bank
• IMF representative (TBC)

Moderated by Iolanda Fresnillo, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Eurodad

Watch it here

19 April
17.30 - 19.00 CEST

Moving beyond current debt and development crisis: solutions for genuine debt sustainability

Organised by AFRODAD, AfSDJN, ANND, ActionAid International, APMDD, Bretton Woods Project, CESR, Debt Justice Norway, Debt Relief for a Green and Inclusive Recovery (DRGR) Project, Development Finance International, erlassjahr.de, Eurodad, Global Policy Forum, Institute for Economic Justice, ISER, ITUC, Jubilee USA, Latindadd, SEATINI, Norwegian Church Aid.

The debt crisis is no longer a risk but a reality in many countries. It is therefore key to restore debt sustainability in a way that it ensures governments capacity to guarantee human rights, gender equality and climate action while also looking at the crisis from a structural perspective. The panel will explore how to effectively solve this debt crisis considering it is as well a development crisis.

Speakers:

• Samantha Kanoyangwa, Coordinator, AfSDJN
• Jason Rosario Braganza, Executive Director, AFRODAD
• Marina Zucker-Marques, Senior Academic Researcher, DRGR
• Mark Flanagan, Deputy Director, Strategy Policy and Review Department, IMF

Moderated by Iolanda Fresnillo, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Eurodad.

Watch it here

19 April
20.15 - 21.45 CEST

Beyond Size in IDA21 Replenishment - What About SocioEconomic Transformation? (Link available soon)

Organised by Eurodad, Afrodad, Oxfam International, Bretton Woods Project, SEATINI, ACET.

IDA21 happens in a polycrisis context and within the framework of the WBG Evolution Roadmap. While most discussions will focus on its finance, this session will discuss the policy framework to deliver socioeconomic transformation. This implies examining IDA’s experience and addressing the structural causes of why developing countries are stuck in recurrent borrowing.

Speakers:

• Jane Nalunga, Executive Director, SEATINI
• Dr. Edward Brown, Senior Director for Research, Policy, and Programs (ACET)
• Fati N’zi-Hassane, Director of Oxfam in Africa
• Enrique Blanco Armas, Manager, IDA, World Bank
• Andrew Dabalen, Africa Region Chief Economist, World Bank

Moderated by Jason Braganza, Executive Director, AFRODAD

Watch it here (link available soon)

19 April
22.00 - 23.30 CEST

Navigating the Intertwined Debt and Climate Crisis: Unveiling and Assessing Solutions

Organised by Action Aid International; African Sovereign Debt Justice Network (AfSDJN); AfriCatalyst; AFRODAD; Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND); Asian People’s Movement on Debt and Development; Bretton Woods Project; Caribbean Policy Development Centre; Center for Economic and Policy Research; Center for Human Rights and Climate Change Research; Climate Action Network International; Christian Aid; Debt for Climate; Debt for Climate South Africa; Debt Justice Norway; Debt Relief for a Green and Inclusive Recovery (DRGR); Demand Climate Justice; ESCR-net; Eurodad; Institute For Economic Justice; Initiative for Social and Economic Rights; Latindadd; MENAfem Movement for Economic, Development and Ecological Justice; Partners In Health; Recourse; SEATINI Uganda; Third World Network; WEDO.

In this session, we will explore some of the solutions being proposed to address the debt-climate change trap that many Global South countries are facing, including Climate Resilient Debt Clauses and debt for climate/nature swaps, and interrogate what impact, if any, they are likely to have for Global South countries.

Speakers:

• Jwala Rambarran, Senior Policy Advisor at the Caribbean Policy Development Centre
• Adrian Chikowore, Institute for Economic Justice, Researcher
• Marina Zucker-Marques, Senior Academic Researcher for the Global Economic Governance Initiative at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center instead of Yuefen
• Marcos de Chamon, Deputy Division Chief, IMF

Moderated by Shereen Talaat, Director, MENAFem Movement

Watch it here