Dr Karina Patricio Ferreira Lima delivers workshop on sovereign debt at the University of Buenos Aires

Supported by the University of Leeds School of Law, the workshop was co-organised in partnership with local and international human rights organisations and University of Buenos Aires academics.

From 18-21 April, School of Law Lecturer in Commercial Law Dr Karina Patricio Ferreira Lima delivered a four-day workshop on sovereign debt at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires. 

Sponsored by the School of Law Impact and Engagement Fund, the activity was co-organised in partnership with the Chair of Economic Power and Human Rights of the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires and the Initiative for Human Rights Principles in Fiscal Policy, a network of NGOs that supports human rights-centred approaches to fiscal policy.

The network members involved in the event’s organisation were the Centre for Legal and Social Studies (CELS), the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ), and the Centre for Economic and Social Rights (CESR).

It has been an incredibly enriching experience to be able to visit Buenos Aires for this intense four-day event.

The workshop sought to build capacity of civil society organisations, academics and journalists on crucial legal issues involving sovereign debt, including both the governance of sovereign debt contracts and the law and governance of the International Monetary Fund.

In particular, it focused on providing participants with new conceptual tools to advocate for justice and human rights in fiscal policy. The workshop also touched upon crucial developments in Argentina, such as the ongoing Extended Fund Facility programme with the International Monetary Fund and the increasing importance of Chinese official financing in local infrastructure projects. 

Dr Patricio Ferreira Lima said of the activity: “It has been an incredibly enriching experience to be able to visit Buenos Aires for this intense four-day event. I am thankful to all partners and participants for their engagement in this workshop.

“I hope the experience has contributed towards building capacity on sovereign debt matters, as well as on how to conceptualise and deal with sovereign insolvency. I look forward to collaborating further with both University of Buenos Aires and Initiative for Human Rights Principles in Fiscal Policy partners on sovereign debt matters”.