The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
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.
Similar Stories
1
12
1
1
Press Conferences , Images | UNOG
Closing Press Conference following the Sixth Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan
2
17
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA , WMO
Two UN agencies teamed up on Wednesday to issue an appeal for immediate assistance to help communities already being impacted by the strongest El Niño on record.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | CITES
Wildlife trade and conservation policy discussions at the 81st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee (SC81)
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNHCR , UNCTAD , WMO , OCHA , UNICEF , WHO
UNHCR Hungary’s 1956 Refugee Crisis: 70 Years On, UNCTAD World Investment Forum 2026, Doha, WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin and Climate Update for COP31, OCHA Afghanistan: Malnutrition, Girls’ Education and Recovery, UNICEF Yemen: Child Malnutrition and Unsafe Water in Taiz, WHO Inequalities in Noncommunicable Diseases and Risk Factors
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNHCR
End of UNHCR's 77th Annual Executive Committee (ExCom) meeting week
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNICEF , IOM , UNHCR
UN Special Assistant to the Personal Envoy Office (SUDAN): Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan; UNICEF: Dire situation of children in Gaza; IOM: Damaged Homes and Energy Attacks Risk Displacing Ukrainians for this winter; UNHCR: update on EXCOM week
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IOM , UNDRR
UN stresses importance of household preparedness for disaster risk reduction.
1
1
1
Statements , Press Conferences | OHCHR
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNHCR , UNICEF , IFRC , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , IOM , OCHA , WHO
UNHCR – ExCom Meeting, UNICEF – Nepal Recovery, IFRC – Flash Floods, WHO – Mental Health, IOM – South Sudan Floods, OCHA – DRC Humanitarian aid, UNHCR – Sahel Displacement, UNICEF – Yemen Update, IOM – Gaza Shelter, UN Women – Gaza Women, OHCHR – Arrests and detentions of Syrians by Israeli force
2
1
2
Press Conferences | UNCTAD
Presentation of the Trade and Developement Report 2026
Embargoed until 9 October 2026 at 11 a.m. (Geneva Time)
UNCTAD: UNCTAD’s flagship report finds that governments increasingly use industrial, trade, financial and technology policies to pursue economic and national security objectives. Market access and the ability to move into higher-value activities now depend more heavily on technology, finance and geopolitics.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UPU
Release of the State of the Postal Sector Report 2026
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IOM , ITU , UNECE , UNICEF , WHO , WMO
UNICEF: Ebola, DRC - children orphans or separating them from parents and caregivers; IOM: Humanitarian needs in Djibouti amid arrivals from Yemen and increased migrant movements; WHO: Darfur, scale of health needs far exceeds available resources; WMO co-sponsored Global Heat Forum, Bangkok, monthly Global Seasonal Climate Update; UNECE: UN Forum of Mayors; ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026; WHO: child and adolescent obesity guidelines and new global roadmap to tackle pregnancy hypertension, a leading cause of maternal mortality