Post by Catholic Relief Services

Debt distress isn’t an abstract financial issue—it is a moral issue that communities live with every day. When debt servicing crowds out spending on health, education and essential services, the consequences are felt most acutely by people who are already vulnerable. Although the Catholic Jubilee year has closed, the call to ease unjust burdens and create space for hope continues.  Today, at a side event during The World Bank Group Civil Society Policy Forum, Catholic Relief Services is partnering with Foreign Policy to convene "Debt Distress and Global Stability: A Private Roundtable on Practical Solutions," bringing together policymakers, faith leaders and experts to discuss how today’s debt crisis is shaping global stability. With decades of experience working alongside governments and local partners in some of the world’s most fragile contexts, CRS understands how sovereign debt dynamics translate into real-world tradeoffs: shrinking fiscal space, weakened service delivery and reduced resilience to shocks. That on-the-ground insight is increasingly essential as global public debt rises and more than half of low-income countries face high risk of debt distress. This roundtable focuses on practical questions we grapple with in our work every day, including: ➡️ How can countries ease debt pressures while continuing to meet essential needs?  ➡️ What does effective coordination across public, multilateral and private creditors look like in practice?  ➡️ How are debt relief, development outcomes and long‑term stability interconnected? CRS brings a perspective shaped by long-term partnerships with local institutions, civil society organizations and faith leaders who remain engaged long after financial decisions are made. Our perspective helps ensure policy responses are not only technically sound, but grounded in lived experience and built to last. Building on the enduring lessons of the Jubilee tradition, CRS remains committed to constructive dialogue and practical solutions that protect dignity, support stability and create space for communities to thrive. #WBGMeetings