The webinar “The role of debt in climate finance for the Mediterranean and Africa” was organised by the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA and took place online on Wednesday 28 February 20243.
Climate change is one of the world’s greatest challenges, and developing countries are those paying the highest price for its impacts with a lack of instruments to mitigate and adapt. In 2020, EMEA launched the Debt Transparency Initiative to enhance knowledge about debt related issues, particularly in low-income countries (LICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). Under this initiative, the webinar explored recent developments in terms of debt trends and initiatives in the Mediterranean and Africa, and the expectations for the next G20.
Closing the webinar EMEA Prof. Rym Ayadi, President and Founder of the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA highlighted: “The intricate connection between debt and climate finance in regions like the Mediterranean and Africa underscores a profound reality: sustainable development and climate resilience cannot flourish under the weight of unsustainable debt. As we navigate this challenge, the global community must pivot towards innovative financing solutions that empower, rather than encumber, the nations at the frontline of climate change towards decisive adaptation and mitigation”
Webinar agenda:
Moderator: Prof. Rym Ayadi, EMEA Founder and President
Opening keynote: Dr. Sandra Challita, Associate Professor in Finance at emlyon business school, EMEA research fellow and EMANES coordinator.
Speakers:
Martin Kessler, Executive Director of the Finance for Development Lab (FDL)
Moez Labidi, Senior Advisor, Arab Planning Institute
Dr. Maria Ron Balsera, Interim Executive Director at the Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR)
Federico Sibaja, IMF Campaign Manager at Recourse
Iolanda Fresnillo, Policy and Advocacy manager on Debt Justice at European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD)
Carola Mejia Silva, Coordinator of the area of Climate Justice, Transitions and the Amazon at the Latin American Network for Economic and Social Justice (LATINDADD)
