Dear Colleagues and Friends, Ahead of the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund(IMF) in Washington, D.C., the world economy is quite literally in shock. Adding to large-scale economic challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia's war in Ukraine has palpably worsened outlooks around the world- with inflation, food and energy shortages, and debt distress increasing to dramatic levels. In these times, we believe that efforts to strengthen social protection on the one hand and programs for debt relief and debt restructuring on the other must now take center stage. During the Bank's and IMF's annual meetings, FES and partners will co-host a full set of events to discuss and tackle some of the world's most pressing economic issues. We will hear from renowned economic experts and decision-makers, such as Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz, Argentina's former Minister of Economy Martín Guzmán, USAID Administrator Samantha Power(tbc), and Germany's Development Minister Svenja Schulze. Please find further information on all upcoming activities below. As always, we thank you for your interest in our work and welcome your feedback. Sincerely, Michael Bröning Director, FES New York