Follow CGSP on Social Media

Listen to the CGSP Podcast

Debunking Propaganda in the Debate Over “Western Private Creditor” Debt in Africa

by Thierry Pairault
Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP

In this short piece, I will use statistical data extracted from the World Bank’s online database. The figures I will use here are for Africa as a whole, i.e. sub-Saharan Africa (the one most often referred to when talking about “African” debt) and North Africa. Figures are for the year 2021. These are averages for the whole continent and do not consider the great diversity of situations. This choice is imposed on me by the propaganda of both sides, for whom nuanced thinking is not a virtue.

In 2021, the debt owed to private creditors (not “Western” private creditors) is equal to

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More

You Might Like

5 Recommendations for Tackling the Sovereign Debt Challenge in Southern Africa 

By Daniel Bradlow and Magalie Masamba The COVID-19 pandemic has had a particularly profound adverse impact on Africa’s sovereign debt situation. Currently, 22 low-income African countries are either in debt distress or at ...

China: Between Opening up Its Financial Sector and Holding on to Its Key Economic Sectors

Until recently, foreign companies had been restricted from autonomously and freely operating in the Chinese market due to the strict requirement by China’s government for full Chinese ownership and leadership in the country’s ...

COVID-19 Expected to Cause Widespread Economic Disruption in Africa

Editor’s Note: although Africa, so far, has been spared from the health consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, the economic impact is already being felt across the continent and is expected to ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

Subscribe