Magalie Masamba on What It's Going to Take to Resolve Africa's Debt Distress

Until a few years ago, before the pandemic, most African economies were among the world's best performing in terms of debt. Revenues were sufficient and debt-to-GDP levels were largely well below the IMF's 50% threshold.

But today, that is no longer the case. Many of the continent's largest economies are in a desperate struggle to avoid getting sucked into a debt spiral where they're borrowing more and more just to repay loans. That, plus the challenges brought on by surging food prices, weakening currencies and, of course, the effects of the ongoing pandemic all make this a very difficult time.

So what can be done? Two scholars, Daniel Bradlow from the University of Pretoria and Magalie Masamba, a Global China Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center, have come up with five practical recommendations for what they think governments need to do to tackle the burgeoning debt challenge.

Magalie joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the sovereign crisis in some African countries with a particular focus on China's role.

Show Notes:

• The China-Global South Project: 5 Recommendations for Tackling the Sovereign Debt Challenge in Southern Africa by Daniel Bradlow  and Magalie Masamba: https://bit.ly/3LwGHZR
• The Conversation: Debt distress in Africa: biggest problems, and ways forward by Daniel Bradlow and Magalie Masamba: https://bit.ly/3wxKm5D

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