Debt Relief for Resilience: Reimagining debt solutions for low-income countries
More than half of low-income countries are either already in debt distress or at high risk of it. The time for bold, forward-thinking solutions is now. This webinar marked the launch of the Debt for Resilience (D4R) initiative. During the event, IISD’s Sovereign Debt Lead, Anahí Wiedenbrüg, presented a new diagnosis of current debt vulnerabilities and introduced the D4R initiative, followed by insights from leading voices in global finance and policy on how to drive real change.
In 2025 alone, African nations are projected to spend over USD 89 billion on debt servicing, while facing acute balance-of-payment pressures and limited fiscal space—undermining essential investments in healthcare, education, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability.
The Debt for Resilience Initiative (D4R) introduces a bold, coordinated framework focused not just on short-term liquidity, but on restoring long-term external debt sustainability, safeguarding public resources from leakage to private creditors, and directing investment toward resilience-building development outcomes.
This launch event took place just ahead of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), a once-in-a-decade opportunity for countries to negotiate a global consensus on how to finance sustainable development—including concrete commitments to advance debt relief for the most vulnerable.
Through this webinar, participants gained insight into the latest diagnosis of debt vulnerabilities in low-income countries and learned about a pragmatic new path forward through D4R. Following the report presentation, high-level experts reflected on how D4R aligns with broader development finance priorities, before opening the floor to audience questions and discussion.
Moderator
- Marina Zucker-Marques - Senior Academic Researcher, Global Development Policy Center
Speakers
- Anahí Wiedenbrüg - Lead, Sovereign Debt, International Institute for Sustainable Development
- Guillaume Chabert - Deputy Director, Strategy, Policy and Review Department - International Monetary Fund
- Prof. Yemi Osinbajo - Former Vice-Minister of Nigeria and currently spearheading the African Leaders Debt Relief Initiative
- Mahmoud Mohieldin - Lead Expert of the UN Secretary General High-Level Group on Debt.
Upcoming events
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The 17th edition of IISD's Investment Policy Forum will take place from September 16 to 18, 2026, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
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