James Gale and Jeffrey Golden KC are presenting at the 24th Commonwealth Law Conference 2025 in Malta.
Date: 8 April
Session: D6 Financial Innovation for Economic Development
Time: 15.30 – 17.00
Venue: The Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre, St Julian’s Bay, Malta
Details: This session will explore the efforts and effectiveness of contractual innovation, law reform and training to build out the financial markets and the understanding of judges about finance in developing and underserved markets.
In emerging and developing markets, where economies, GDPs, exchange rates, interest rates and capital flows can be relatively more volatile than those of advanced economies, enhancing risk management techniques and enabling access to capital represent pressing needs. Somewhat ironically, financial instruments like derivatives and the deployment of fintech/legal tech from more advanced economies can be key tools to unlock financial inclusion and economic development. Central bank digital currencies and blockchain offer additional potential for serving the underbanked and could help foster the build out of local financial markets that would strengthen the resilience of the economy, support economic growth and mitigate risk from, for example, single commodity dependence.
Reporting out from a multi-year World Bank Group capacity building project, the particular role of lawyers in sharing their experience from advanced market economies can be a step in the right direction for increased access to finance and financial risk management, a deepening of local financial markets and meeting the challenges of globalisation.
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