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Don't Blame the IMF for Argentina's Debt Woes (February 2022)
In my 9 February 2022 Letter to the Editor of the Financial Times, I wrote about the problem of unsustainable debt owed to China.
Feb 2, 20221 min read


China’s Relations with the Paris Club
The COVID-19 pandemic is pushing many countries to the edge of default. Workouts will use Paris Club rules, but China is not a member.
Apr 30, 202127 min read


A System Adrift and Imperiled
In this Brookings op-ed, I focused on the how the Global Financial Crisis was calling into question “risk-free” US and European bonds.
Aug 12, 20113 min read


Europe’s Fast Track into the Third World
In this Brookings blog post, I argued that forcing write-downs of bonds of weak EU countries held by private investors would be a mistake.
Dec 8, 20103 min read


Why a Greek Haircut Is a Really Bad Idea
In this blog post, I blame the EU for Greece’s debt crisis, not the private sector banks and bond investors; they should be spared haircuts.
Apr 30, 20103 min read


Why Bad Loans Are Good For Africa
In this op-ed, I fault the US and other traditional aid donors for claiming that China’s loans will lead to debt problems in Africa.
Feb 13, 20073 min read


Nigeria's Paris Club Debt Problem
In this Brookings report, I examine the write-off of Nigeria’s debt to Paris Club creditors proposed by the UK. It is the right thing to do.
Aug 1, 20053 min read


The Paris Club Owes Nigeria A Fair Deal
In this Brookings op-ed, I explained how Nigeria’s debt to Paris Club creditors ballooned and why a generous write-off makes sense.
Jun 27, 20053 min read


Making Iraq Creditworthy
In this Letter to the Editor of the Financial Times, I pushed back on an Editorial by pointing to a specific Paris Club treatment for Iraq.
Jun 15, 20042 min read


Reducing Iraq’s Foreign Debt
In this Brookings op-ed, I addressed the USG push to get debt relief for Iraq and called for comparable attention to the case of Argentina.
Feb 6, 20043 min read


Argentina: Facing Up to its Debt Mess
In this Letter to the Editor of the Financial Times, I objected to Martin Wolf’s hard line on Argentina and offered a sustainable approach.
Feb 3, 20042 min read


Baker Concludes European Tour
In this NPR interview, I talked about Secretary of State James Baker’s travel to get support for debt relief for Iraq.
Dec 19, 20031 min read


Restructuring Iraq's Sovereign Debt
This is the audio file and transcript of my interview by NPR’s Karen Grigsby Bates on the subject of debt relief for Iraq.
Dec 19, 20031 min read


Restructuring Sovereign Debt: The Case for Ad Hoc Machinery
This book was my ticket into the Brookings Institution. It deals with the only policy area where I can fairly claim world class expertise.
Sep 5, 20031 min read


The Role of Paris Club in Managing Debt Problems
Growing concerns this year about debt-servicing problems among low-income countries have rekindled interest in my first serious publication.
Dec 1, 19851 min read


The Paris Club, 1978-83
This is a companion piece to my Princeton Essay. It was published in a 1984 issue of the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law.
Jan 1, 19841 min read
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