Developing Countries: Health Services

(asked on 24th April 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with private creditors on cancelling the debt repayments of countries in the global south to enable those countries to focus their finances on resourcing their health systems.


Answered by
James Duddridge Portrait
James Duddridge
This question was answered on 1st May 2020

The UK Government is deeply concerned about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-income developing countries. In this time of crisis, it is vital that creditors work together to ensure that countries especially vulnerable to the pandemic are able to protect their citizens and economies.

The UK, alongside the G20 and the Paris Club of official creditors has committed to a temporary suspension of debt service repayments from the poorest countries.

The G20 has called on the private sector to participate and the UK is working with the Paris Club and Institute of International Finance, which represents nearly 450 financial services institutions from over 70 countries, to ensure a coordinated approach to comparable treatment.

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