Young Scholars Pre-Conference Workshop: An introductory course on public finance, debt, and the international financial architecture Cedi Conference Center, University of Ghana, Legon, 25th-26th March, 2024.

Organized by the University of Ghana, the International Development Economics Associates, the African Forum on Debt and Development.

The International Development Economics Associates Limited (IDEAs) is a global-south led international network of development economists committed to deploying pluralist approaches to research, teaching and policy making.  IDEAs is organizing in Accra from the 27^th to 29^th of March 2024 an International Conference on the African Debt Crisis and the need for radical reform of the International Financial Architecture.  The conference will bring together leading scholars from Africa and the global south as well as policy makers and civil society organizations. The aim of the Conference is to explore alternative approaches to addressing the debt crisis and preventing future crisis by reforming the financial architecture governing financial flows and debt management.

As part of our joint commitment to develop young scholars, IDEAs, the African Forum on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) and the Economics Department of the University of Ghana will organize a two-day course ahead of the conference. The target group will be post-graduate students and post-docs interested in, or working on development finance related themes.

The workshop is entitled “Introductory Course on Public Finance, Debt and the International Financial Architecture”. It will take place at the University of Ghana, Legon on the 25^th and 26^th March, 2024.

Participants of the workshop will be admitted to the main conference which will take place at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel Accra. The workshop will be a learning session and faculty members will include Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians.

To join online on Zoom, register at:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElc-qvqjovEtY5CnOQFAfjoN9f5cECAyNc

Agenda

Day 1: Monday 25 March 2024

9.00 – 9.30 Welcome – HoD, Economics Department, Dzodzi and Abena Oduro and Self Introduction.

9.30 – 10.45 Lecture 1 + Q & A: Debt Restructuring and the role of the IMF – C.P. Chandrasekhar

10.45 – 11.00 – Coffee break

11.00 – 12.15 Lecture 2 + Q & A: The History of Africa and the Global Financial System: From Bretton Woods to the Current Debt Crisis and Beyond – Howard Stein

12.15 – 13.00 Break-out groups

13.00 – 14.00 – Lunch

14.00 – 15.30 Lecture 3 + Q & A: What is driving the African debt crisis and what can be done about it – Emmanuel Codjoe

15.30 – 16.00 Break

16.00 – 17.00 – Group Presentations

17.00 Break for the day

Day 2: Tuesday 25 March 2024

10.00 – 11.00 Lecture 4 + Q & A: Debt restructuring: Lessons from Sri Lanka – Ahilan Kadirgamar.

11.30 – 11.45 Break

11.45 – 13.15 Lecture 5: Economic development through the mobilization of domestic resources: the parameters and limits of Functional Finance in Africa– Ndongo Samba Sylla

13.15 – 14.15 Lunch Break

14.15 – 15.30 Lecture 6: Debt and development finance intersections: options for Africa – Jason Braganza

15.30 – 15.45 Break

15.45 – 17.15 Lecture 7: Resource governance and development financing without debt – Charles Gaymfi Ofori

17.15 – 17. 30 – Wrap up and close