G8 Debt Relief: A Small Step on the Road to a Stronger Africa

The G8 proposal to eliminate $40 billion in poor countries’ debt is a welcome step for Africa. The impact on the ground is likely to be more limited than the headlines suggest, but it could improve the climate for private investment. Directing the debt savings toward health and education could help raise Africa’s productivity growth—the key to its long-term outlook.

>> G8 Debt Relief: A Small Step on the Road to a Stronger Africa June 2005 [PDF, 176 KB]