The global debt crisis
Why are many developing countries on the verge of defaulting?
This month the G20 came under criticism for failing to deliver a promised $100bn of additional funds to poorer countries to help with the economic fallout of the pandemic. Many of these countries suffered a significant financial crunch as their exports dropped while the price of imports went up. The World Bank says the recession of 2020 led to the largest single-year surge in global debt in decades. The Bank says the debt burden of 70 low income countries has risen by more than 12 percent. Countries that are considered middle-income and have relatively stable economies have also been hit. Last month Sri Lanka appealed to China, one of its biggest creditors, to reschedule its debts. Its foreign reserve shortage has led to a sharp reduction of oil imports, resulting in regular power cuts and further undermining economic activity. So how did the pandemic worsen the debt crisis? How much of the problem can be blamed on long-term economic mismanagement and corruption? And what should be the role of creditors like China, which has been criticised for the way it negotiates debt relief.
Join Ritula Shah is joined by a panel of experts.
Producers: Paul Schuster and Junaid Ahmed
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Contributors
Kevin Watkins - Visiting Professor, Development Practice, London School of Economics; former Chief Executive, Save the Children
Iolanda Fresnillo - Debt Justice Spokesperson, European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad)
Gabriel Sterne - Head of global strategy and emerging markets research, Oxford Economics; former Economist, IMF
Featuring:
础尘颈迟补听础谤耻诲辫谤补驳补蝉补尘听- Economic policy analyst in Sri Lanka
Rachel Ziemba - Adjunct Senior Fellow, Energy, Economics, & Security Program, Center for a New American Security
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