Workshop on Sovereign Debt in Sub-Saharan Africa

CSASE Workshop on Sovereign Debt in Sub-Saharan Africa was held on November 15, 2025, at the Lewis International Law Center. The workshop was convened by Prof. Rodney Smith, Nonresident Senior Research Fellow, CSASE, and brought together leading researchers to examine Africa's growing debt challenges and explore strategies for sustainable debt management. Discussions during the workshop focused on the drivers and risks of rising public debt, the legal and institutional frameworks for borrowing and restructuring, and the implications of debt burdens for economic growth, social spending, and development goals. The workshop highlighted lessons from salient debt experiences, highlighted practical approaches to strengthen fiscal resilience and promote responsible financing across Sub-Saharan Africa, and identified areas for further research.

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Workshop participants included:

• Mr. Mphatso Banda, Ph.D. Candidate (Economics), University of Minnesota
• Dr. Dan Ghura, Former Division Chief, International Monetary Fund
• Prof. Harounan Kazianga, Carson Priority Professor of Economics, Oklahoma State University
• Prof. Tim Kehoe, Professor of Economics, University of Minnesota
• Prof. Tade Okediji, Professor of Economics, University of Minnesota
• Prof. Lemma Senbet, Dean's Chaired Professor of Finance, University of Maryland
• Prof. Rodney Smith, Nonresident Senior Research Fellow, CSASE, and Professor of Economics, University of Minnesota
• Prof. Edouard Wemy, Associate Professor of Economics, Clark University