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BRIEF

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative

May 9, 2024


Relieving the World's Poorest Countries of Unmanageable Debt Burdens
  • The HIPC and related Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) programs have relieved 37 participating countries of more than $100 billion in debt.
  • To date, 37 countries ¡ª 31 of them in Africa ¡ª have debt-relief for which they were eligible through the HIPC Initiative and the MDRI.
  • But challenges remain to ensure that debt burdens do not return to unsustainable levels.

ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other multilateral, bilateral and commercial creditors began the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in 1996. The program was designed to ensure that the poorest countries in the world are not overwhelmed by unmanageable or unsustainable debt burdens. It reduces the debt of countries meeting strict .

The following countries have qualified for debt-relief under the HIPC Initiative and the MDRI.

Country Decision Point Document Completion Point Document
Afghanistan
Benin
Bolivia

Burkina Faso

Burundi
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo
C?te d¡¯Ivoire
Ethiopia
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana

Haiti
Honduras
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali

Mauritania
Mozambique

Nicaragua
Niger
Rwanda
Somalia
S?o Tom¨¦ & Pr¨ªncipe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda

Zambia

 

In December 2023, Somalia reached the HIPC initiative completion point, achieving debt service savings of $4.5 billion and getting access to critical additional financial resources to strengthen its economy.

Eritrea and Sudan are potentially eligible for debt relief but have not yet started the process.

To be eligible for the HIPC Initiative a country must:

  • Face unsustainable debt situation after the full the full application of the traditional debt relief mechanisms (such as the application of ).
  • Be only eligible for highly concessional assistance from the  and from the 
  • Have established a track record of reform and sound policies through IMF and World Bank supported programs.
  • Establish a track record of reform and develops a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) that involves civil society participation.

Last Updated: May 09,2024