Sovereign Debt Booksprint

From the lessons learned from the ALSF’s support to countries in debt distress due to poor financial management, a handbook has been developed to serve as an accessible, practical guide for public debt managers and others involved in public financial management in Africa. The handbook demystifies the complex concepts and terminology related to sovereign debt, and specifically discusses the technical, financial and legal issues relating to debt instruments and the markets in which they are traded, as well as how public debt managers develop and implement strategies related to debt financing, tools and methods that can be employed to prevent debt distress, and significantly, what to do if a crisis occurs. The handbook advocates for early engagement of professional advisors to assist governments, not only in times of crisis, but also in the formulation of robust debt management systems, the establishment of processes and institutions and building capacity. With the knowledge provided through this publication, citizens and government officials can easily understand and question corrupt practices relating to the management of a country’s financial resources and take steps to stop or prevent them.