Christian Leaders' Debt Cancellation Call

Tuesday October 13 2020

^{Supporters of the #cancelthedebt campaign on social media}

More than 140 senior Church leaders representing millions of Christians around the world have signed a letter urging the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to cancel debts for developing countries fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

The letter - signed by cardinals, archbishops and heads of religious congregations from different Christian denominations – was sent ahead of the World Bank and IMF annual meetings next week. 

The institutions are expected to discuss debt relief for poor nations at the meeting as part of planning for the global economic recovery. 

In the letter, the Church leaders encourage the institutions to show “courageous leadership” and argue that debt cancellation “is the most immediate way to release the finance required to prevent millions of our sisters and brothers being needlessly pushed into poverty by the pandemic.”

Among the signatories was Professor Isabel Apawo Phiri, Deputy General Secretary of the World Council of Churches and a member of the Church of Scotland in Geneva.

The faith leaders write that each has “Borne witness to the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on the most vulnerable members of our communities through illness, death, hunger and loss of livelihoods.

“Without the cancellation of debts, there remains a grave risk that developing countries will not have the money so desperately and urgently needed to halt the spread of the virus, to treat people suffering from the virus and to mitigate and recover from the economic and social destruction threatened by the virus."

The letter was coordinated by campaigning organisations including CAFOD, Christian Aid and CIDSE, and supporters have been adding their voices using the #cancelthedebt hashtag on social media.

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