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On October 13–15, the Sovereign Debt Forum, the Institute of International Economic Law, and Georgetown Law hosted DebtCon, welcoming more than one hundred presenters from around the world, alongside hundreds of participants joining in person and online.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The keynote by Bank for International Settlements economic advisor Hyun-Song Shin, with a discussion chaired by International Monetary Fund general counsel Yan Liu, examined how changing global financial structures shape sovereign debt management. In addition, Lee Buchheit joined Bloomberg’s Tracy Alloway for a fireside chat reflecting on lessons from decades of debt restructuring practice.
Across the program, DebtCon underscored its commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and advancing research on the most pressing challenges in sovereign debt.
Georgetown Law, the Institute of International Economic Law, and the Center on Inclusive Trade and Development hosted Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill of the World Trade Organization for a fireside chat with Professor and Faculty Co-Director Gregory Shaffer on the rise of AI and other digital technologies and their transformative impact on international trade.
Their discussion examined how existing trade rules are adapting to technological shifts, the role of institutions like the WTO in supporting an open and inclusive digital economy, and the importance of multilateral cooperation in shaping fair and effective global digital trade frameworks.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Institute of International Economic Law and Georgetown Law hosted Prime Minister Aksel V. Johannesen of the Faroe Islands for remarks on their constitutional status, with particular attention to WTO accession and reflections on future challenges.
Following his remarks, Head of Representation Bjørn Kunoy and former WTO Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard led a discussion focused on WTO and treaty issues between the Faroe Islands and Denmark, and potential paths forward.
The Center on Inclusive Trade and Development is housed at the Institute of International Economic Law and was founded in 2022. It aims to bring together scholars, students, practitioners, NGOs, business and labor leaders, and international organizations to find solutions to the challenges facing the international trading system and develop global approaches to making trade rules more inclusive and sustainable.
The Sovereign Debt Forum is one of the Institute of International Economic Law's initiatives founded in 2019. Its work focuses on low- and middle-income countries at risk of sovereign debt distress, as well as countries that have recently gained market access and have limited debt management experience. This year, the Forum will host DebtCon 8 in Fall 2025.
