International launch of the Norwegian debt audit

“FROM PRINCIPLES TO ACTION”

Event on the Norwegian Debt Audit and the UNCTAD Principles on Responsible Sovereign Lending and Borrowing

26 September 2013, New York

17.00-18.30

United Nations Headquarters, Conference Building, Conference Room A (CR-A)

To avoid new debt crises and unsustainable debt levels in developing countries, the world needs more responsible lending and borrowing. We need to learn from the past and critically examine past practices that lead to unsustainable debt levels. Norway has therefore undertaken the world’s first creditor-initiated debt audit. The purpose of the audit was to set an example for other creditor nations to follow and to spur a debate on responsible lending and borrowing.

The Norwegian Government together with the Norwegian Coalition for Debt Cancellation and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) are hosting an event during the UN General Assembly to launch internationally the Norwegian debt audit and highlight the importance of responsible sovereign lending and borrowing.

The event will include:

• Statement by Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås
• Statement by Yuefen Li, Head of Debt and Development Finance Branch, UNCTAD
• Presentation of the Norwegian Debt Audit by Deloitte
• Remarks from the European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad) and Jubilee USA
• Questions and Answers from the audience

For more information: Gina Ekholt, Director, The Norwegian Coalition for Debt Cancellation, Telephone: +47 911 37 078, email: slug@slettgjelda.no

For registration: Miss Marie Sudeau, Economic Affairs Officer, UNCTAD. Telephone: 0041-22-9174646, fax: 0041-22-9170274, e-mail: marie.sudreau@unctad.org

Hosts: The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Norwegian Coalition for Debt Cancellation
Sponsors: The European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad) and Jubilee USA