WHO WE ARE
Leadership, organization, and history
WHAT WE DO
Projects, products, and services
WHERE WE WORK
Countries and regions
UNDERSTANDING POVERTY
Global data and statistics, research and publications, and topics in poverty and development
WORK WITH US
Jobs, procurement, training, and events
News
COVID-19
World Bank Support for Country Access to COVID-19 Vaccines

A stack of Guatemalan coins

A stack of Guatemalan coins

Debt

Debt financing is critical for development. When used wisely it can help achieve sustained inclusive growth. We work with client countries to strengthen debt management and help them make more informed borrowing decisions.

Featured

Lucian Coman/Shutterstock

Blog

Breaking the logjam of debt restructurings

All countries will benefit if we redouble our efforts to provide relief for the poorest countries.
Iwan Bagus/IFC

Report

Closing gaps in debt transparency

A World Bank study offers a detailed look at debt reporting in low-income countries.
vectorcup/Shutterstock

Resources

Debt & Fiscal Risks Toolkit

Explore our one-stop shop for all the tools countries need to manage, record, and assess debt.

Debt At-A-Glance

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, debt was already at record highs in emerging and developing economies. The pandemic is pushing a growing number of these countries into debt distress. Supporting the poorest countries in the fight against COVID-19 is our most urgent priority. We are deploying unprecedented support to enable countries to concentrate their resources on responding to the pandemic.

Overview

Data

Total Debt Service, % of GNI in Low-Income Countries

Focus Area

Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)

Launched in 1996, HIPC was designed to ensure that the poorest countries are not overwhelmed by unmanageable or unsustainable debt burdens. To date, 37 participating countries have received over $100 billion in debt relief.

Research & Resources

View All Research

Blogs

Experts

Marcello Estevão

Global Director

The World Bank

Ivailo Izvorski

Practice Manager, Global Macro and Debt Analytics

News & Events

What's New

View All What's New

Latest Events

View All Events

In Depth

Debt Transparency

Debt Service Suspension Initiative

Explore a detailed country-by-country breakdown of DSSI participants and the amounts they owe to their creditors.

Factsheet
Q&As
Debt Service Suspension Initiative
Interactive

Debt Heat Maps

How transparent are IDA countries in their debt reporting practices or when issuing domestic debt? Explore our interactive heat maps, which track transparency according to key indicators.

Debt Reporting Heat Map
Domestic Debt Securities Heat Map
Trust Fund

Debt Management Facility (DMF)

The DMF is a multi-donor trust fund that supports the World Bank Group's debt management work in low-income countries.

Countries Eligible for DMF Assistance
Debt Management Facility: A 10-Year Retrospective
Debt Management Facility (DMF)
Trust Fund

Government Debt and Risk Management Program (GDRM)

The GDRM program assists countries in developing sustainable debt and risk management frameworks to reduce vulnerability to financial shocks.

Work With Us In Debt

Additional Resources

Related Sites

Topics
- Global Economic Prospects

Contact

Washington, DC

Joe Rebello

jrebello@worldbankgroup.org