African leaders demand debt reform at IMF-World Bank meetings

At the 2024 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, African leaders and Finance Ministers faced a stark economic landscape, one shaped by high debt burdens, restrictive fiscal policies, and calls for systemic reform.

Against a backdrop of rising global instability and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, these meetings underscored Africa's demand for a

Read full articlefairer financial system, challenging both IMF and World Bank frameworks that many argue favor creditor nations and reinforce cycles of debt dependency.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva acknowledged in her address that “families are hurting” due to a “low growth, high debt” scenario affecting many developing economies, especially in Africa.

This reality was brought into sharp relief as Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Zambia entered debt restructuring processes under the G20’s Common Framework. However, critics argue that the framework is exclusive, skewed toward the interests of wealthier countries, and inadequately supports sustainable economic recovery.

Adding to this, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) noted that African countries like Kenya, Zambia, and Ghana allocate a significant portion of their revenue to debt servicing instead of critical investments in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

In Kenya alone, 70% of tax revenue for the upcoming fiscal year will be directed toward debt payments. Countries across the continent face similar financial restrictions, leading Georgieva to highlight the “trilemma” of balancing pressing social spending, maintaining tax structures, and restoring fiscal strength.

While advocating fiscal consolidation through transparent, multi-year plans, Georgieva emphasized the importance of credibility and public communication, yet her comments sparked renewed debate among African ministers and development advocates.

Organizations like the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) argue that IMF-mandated austerity policies erode essential services, particularly impacting marginalized groups like women, youth, and low-income communities.

According to AFRODAD, the financial obligations imposed by debt repayments leave African nations struggling to address basic health and education needs, exacerbating poverty and inequality. High borrowing costs due to perceived “Africa premiums” are further fueled by climate-related challenges, from floods to droughts, with little fiscal space to mobilize domestic revenue effectively.

This sentiment is echoed by Tatenda Mzezewa, AFRODAD’s Lead on Domestic Resource Mobilization, who highlighted the structural imbalance within global financial institutions, criticizing the IMF’s quota system that consolidates power among a select few.

“The current system is rigged against developing nations by design, not default,” he said, describing it as extractive and unjust. Mzezewa also pointed out that the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) program, while replenished frequently, has failed to lift many countries out of dependency.

As the meetings continue, African leaders are seeking solutions beyond the Common Framework. South Africa’s current presidency of the G20, combined with the upcoming Fourth UN Financing for Development Conference in Spain in 2025, offers an opportunity for African nations to advance a new approach to debt relief—one that prioritizes African agency in debt resolution, setting the stage for Africa to become a “rule maker, not a rule-taker.” This push for change reflects a growing demand for fairer, more inclusive financial systems that empower developing countries to build sustainable economies on their terms.

The calls for change serve as a rallying cry for a reformed global financial architecture, as African leaders strive for debt policies that promote equitable development and strengthen the continent’s resilience to economic and environmental shocks.