CADTM South Asia workshop

2 December 2022 > 4 December 2022

Colombo, Sri Lanka

CADTM South Asia workshop

The CADTM South Asia workshop will be held in Colombo from December 2–4, 2022.
It will primarily attempt to deal with:

The deepening global debt crisis,

The Sri Lankan debt crisis and possible ways forward,

The IMF IMF
International Monetary Fund Along with the World Bank, the IMF was founded on the day the Bretton Woods Agreements were signed. Its first mission was to support the new system of standard exchange rates.

When the Bretton Wood fixed rates system came to an end in 1971, the main function of the IMF became that of being both policeman and fireman for global capital: it acts as policeman when it enforces its Structural Adjustment Policies and as fireman when it steps in to help out governments in risk of defaulting on debt repayments.

As for the World Bank, a weighted voting system operates: depending on the amount paid as contribution by each member state. 85% of the votes is required to modify the IMF Charter (which means that the USA with 17,68% % of the votes has a de facto veto on any change).

The institution is dominated by five countries: the United States (16,74%), Japan (6,23%), Germany (5,81%), France (4,29%) and the UK (4,29%).
The other 183 member countries are divided into groups led by one country. The most important one (6,57% of the votes) is led by Belgium. The least important group of countries (1,55% of the votes) is led by Gabon and brings together African countries.

http://imf.org , as the lender of last resort,

Lessons for South Asia and

Private debt in South Asia

AGENDA
Friday 2 December
0900 – 0930	Welcome, Objectives and Introductions Herman Kumara (SAAPE), Chintaka Rajapaksa (MONLAR)
0930 – 1100	The Global Debt Scenario: Causes and Consequences (with particular reference to Sri Lanka debt default) CADTM International Discussion Moderator: Pakistan Kisan Rabita Committee
1100 – 1130	Break 1
1130 – 1300	South Asian external debt, International Financial Institutions, Peoples Movements Bangladesh Krishok Federation CADTM India CADTM Pakistan South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication, Nepal
1300-1400	Lunch
1400 – 1600	Sri Lanka: What is this crisis? How did we get here? Sumanasiri Liyanage (political economist) on origins and contours of our present crisis Ramindu Perera (Open University of Sri Lanka) on debt crisis and sovereign debt Sovereign debt Government debts or debts guaranteed by the government. default Vimukthi de Silva (MONLAR) on agrarian crisis and rural women Moderator: B. Skanthakumar (Social Scientists’ Association, Sri Lanka)
1600 – 1730	Break 2
1730 – 1900	Public Seminar Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee on Climate Disaster and Debt Justice in Pakistan Hemantha Withanage (Chair, Friends of the Earth International) on COP27 and Debt Justice Moderator: Nalini Ratnarajah (South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication, Sri Lanka))
Saturday 3 December
0900-1100	What is the International Monetary Fund, and what is it for? What is the role of the IMF in debt crises? What is an IMF programme? What are IMF conditionalities, and can they be human-rights friendly? What are our alternatives, including the debt audit? CADTM International Discussion Moderator: Swasthika Arulingam (Commercial and Industrial Workers Union/United Federation of Labour))
1100 – 1130	Break 1
1130 – 1300	Private Debt in South Asia & North Africa Chinmayi Naik, Working Peoples Coalition, India) Renuka Karunarathne (Microfinance Victims Collective, Sri Lanka)
1300-1400	Lunch
1400 – 1600	Sri Lanka: Debates and Strategy on Debt, IMF, and Our Alternatives Chintaka Rajapaksa (MONLAR) Madhulika Gunewardena (Feminist Collective for Economic Justice) Dhanusha Gihan Pathirana (political economist) Moderator: Sandun Thudugala (Law & Society Trust))))
1600 – 1630	Refreshments
1630 – 1700	Close of Workshop Reflections by participants Closing Remarks: Sakuntala Kadirgamar (Law & Society Trust); Chintaka Rajapaksa (MONLAR); CADTM International)))
Sunday 4 December	(CADTM Members)
0900 – 1100	CADTM in South Asia: Way Forward and Next Steps

Events

Coming up

29/09 > 1/10
Liège (Belgium)

The CADTM autumn school are back!
29/09 > 1er/10
Liège (Belgique)

Les rencontres d’automne du CADTM sont de retour !
4/10
Formation en ligne

La Chine en Afrique : histoire d’amour ou péril mortel ?
6/10

The Debt Trap and the interlinked Crises
12/10 > 15/10
Marraquexe (Marrocos)

Assembleias do Banco Mundial/FMI: Contra-cúpula dos movimentos sociais Marrakech, 12 a 15 de outubro de 2023
12/10 > 15/10
Marrakech (Maroc)

Assemblées de la Banque mondiale/FMI :Contre-sommet des mouvements sociaux Marrakech, du 12 au 15 octobre 2023
12/10 > 15/10
Marrakesh (Morocco)

World Bank/IMF meetings: Counter-summit of social movements Marrakech, 12-15 October 2023
12/10 > 15/10
Marrakech (Marruecos)

Reuniones Banco Mundial/FMI :Contracumbre de los movimientos sociales Marrakech, 12-15 de octubre de 2023
23/10
Sao Paulo- Brasil

Conferencia Internacional Soberanía Financiera
23/10
Liège (Belgique)

Les femmes et la reproduction, avec Leopoldina Fortunati

Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt

CADTM South Asia workshop

Events

Coming up