Guests William Foster and David Rogovic discuss the recent wave of sovereign defaults, exploring the reasons behind the defaults and the challenges faced in debt restructuring. They analyze the causes and consequences of the defaults, regional variations in debt burdens, and the absence of a global framework for debt restructuring. The podcast also addresses coordination problems in sovereign debt and the impact of defaults on global investment, emphasizing the need for countries to establish robust frameworks and policies to instill investor confidence.
The increase in global interest rates post-COVID has worsened the sovereign default situation, impacting countries with vulnerabilities like over-reliance on commodities and weak institutions.
Debt restructurings for sovereigns are complex, prolonged by the presence of diverse creditors and a lack of global common framework, with proposed solutions like the G20 common framework facing limited uptake and unresolved burden-sharing issues.
Deep dives
The increase in sovereign defaults
Since the pandemic, there has been an increase in sovereign defaults, with 20 countries defaulting on their debt since 2020. This is more than the number of defaults between 2010 and 2019. The increase in global interest rates post-COVID has made the situation even more challenging. Some defaults, like Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, are linked to geopolitical risks, while others are a result of various challenges and a significant amount of debt denominated in foreign currency.
Factors contributing to sovereign defaults
Countries facing default have underlying vulnerabilities such as over-reliance on commodities, weak institutions, and limited economic diversification. These countries, mostly in the lower-income spectrum, have a high need for development spending, but limited revenue basis to finance it. As a result, they borrow more, leading to higher debt and interest burden. When interest rates rise, the debt becomes unaffordable, increasing default risk. Sub-Saharan Africa has witnessed a sharp increase in the median interest burden, while Latin America and Asia Pacific have seen smaller increases.
Issues in sovereign debt restructuring
Debt restructurings for sovereigns are complex and can take a long time. The presence of diverse creditors, including multilaterals, international bondholders, and Chinese creditors, makes it challenging to reach consensus on restructuring. Unlike corporate restructurings, there is no global common framework for sovereign debt. Lack of agreement on burden-sharing among the creditor groups also delays the process. Current proposed solutions include the G20 common framework, which aims to coordinate debt relief and restructuring with comparable treatment for creditors. However, the uptake has been limited, and issues of burden-sharing remain unresolved
Since 2020, there have been 20 sovereign defaults, surpassing the total in the entire previous decade. What factors led to this point, where are they concentrated and will they continue?
Speakers: William Foster, Senior Vice President at Moody’s Investors Service; David Rogovic, VP-Sr Credit Officer at Moody's Investors Service
Host: Sarah Carlson, Senior Vice President at Moody’s Investors Service
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode