Papers in this issue include: Major problems of the debt overhang and some global solutions. The debt situation in Sub-Saharan Africa: How much debt reduction is needed in Africa and under which modalities? The situation in Latin America: How much debt reduction is needed? Will existing mechanisms be sufficient? Changes in regulatory and tax frameworks to allow a co-ordinated approach to debt relief: Proposals for the treatment of private debt; Proposals for the treatment of public debt; Could other measures be used, If a different approach were adopted.