Press conference UNCTAD
/
56:49
/
MP4
/
576.9 MB

Press Conferences | UNCTAD

Press conference UNCTAD: Developing countries crippled by debt need urgent relief, stresses UN trade agency

Developing countries crippled by debt need urgent relief, stresses UN trade agency

Far too little constructive support has been provided to help developing countries escape from crippling debt related to the COVID-19 outbreak, leading UN economists said on Thursday.

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), urgent measures are needed to head off what it has called a “looming debt disaster” in emerging economies.

It’s calling on international investors and creditors to agree to write off debt relief to developing countries.

Some welcome steps have already been taken, including the decision on 13 April by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cancel debt repayments due by the 25 poorest developing economies for the next six months.

This alone was estimated at around $215 million.

That IMF decision was followed two days later by the leaders of the Group of 20 leading economies (or G20), who announced the suspension of debt paybacks for 73 of the world’s poorest countries from May to the end of the year.

Welcoming these measures, UNCTAD economist Richard Kozul-Wright said that they would free up sorely needed resources which are needed to respond to the pandemic, and which are normally dedicated to paying off external debt.

But he insisted that more “systematic, transparent and coordinated measures towards writing off developing country debt across the board” are urgently needed.

A trillion dollar write-off would be closer to the figure needed to prevent economic disaster across the developing world, Mr Kozul-Wright added.


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 1
Download Press conference UNCTAD - audio
Download

Similar Stories

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 01 July 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | IFRC , WFP , WMO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 01 July 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations in Iran, the World Food Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Meteorological Organisation, and the International Federation of the Red Cross.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 27 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | WHO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 27 June 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the World Health Organisation, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the World Meteorological Organisation.

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press conference: UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls - 26 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OHCHR

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press conference: UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls - 26 June 2025 ENG FRA

Forms of sex-based violence against women and girls, and the concept of consent in relation to violence against women and girls

UNCTAD Press conference: impact of AI on labor, policies and global equity - 26 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNCTAD

UNCTAD Press conference: impact of AI on labor, policies and global equity - 26 June 2025 ENG FRA

How AI and the digital economy intersect with labor markets, policy gaps, and global equity – Background briefing ahead of Ai for Good Summit

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press conference: UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar - 25 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OHCHR

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press conference: UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar - 25 June 2025 ENG FRA

Press conference by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press conference: UN Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity - 24 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OHCHR

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press conference: UN Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity - 24 June 2025 ENG FRA

Call for Solidarity and Peace: Addressing the Normalization of Violence and Arctic Militarization Risks through Indigenous Peoples’ Examples, Including Insights from the Independent Expert’s Visit to Denmark and Greenland

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 24 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | ITU , OHCHR , UNCTAD , UNESCO , UNHCR

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 24 June 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the International Telecommunication Union, and the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization.

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press conference: UN Special Rapporteur on Health - 23 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OHCHR

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press conference: UN Special Rapporteur on Health - 23 June 2025 ENG FRA

Press conference by the Special Rapporteur on the right to health on her report to HRC59 focused on Health and care workers as defenders of the right to health.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 20 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNOG , UNICEF , WHO , UNHCR , HRC , UNCTAD

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 20 June 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of UNICEF, WHO, HRC, UNCTAD, UNHCR

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press Conference: Elections in the digital age - 19 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OHCHR

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press Conference: Elections in the digital age - 19 June 2025 ENG FRA

Press conference of the UN Special Rapporteur on the freedom of opinion and expression and the UN Special Rapporteur on the freedom of peaceful assembly and association

UNCTAD Press conference - 19 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNCTAD

UNCTAD Press conference - 19 June 2025 ENG FRA

Publication of the World Investment Report 2025

HRC 59 Press conference: Commission of Inquiry on OPT and Israel - 18 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | HRC

HRC 59 Press conference: Commission of Inquiry on OPT and Israel - 18 June 2025 ENG FRA

Launch of the latest report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel