Africa faces a mounting debt crisis

African countries face a debt crisis as public debt to GDP ratio soars, leading to austerity, and China and private creditors play a pivotal role in restructuring debt. The impact on African economies and politics will be significant.

Africa faces a mounting debt crisis
  • African countries are facing a mounting debt crisis with public debt to GDP ratio soaring to an average of 56% in sub-Saharan Africa in 2022.
  • African attitudes towards the rest of the world will be shaped by whether outsiders, especially the West and China, are seen to be helping or hindering progress.
  • China and private creditors have begun to play a pivotal role in restructuring the billions of dollars in debt owed by African countries.
  • Austerity will have a big impact on African economies and domestic politics.
  • Most 'frontier' countries are democracies, and the economic discontent has already led to changes in government in Zambia and Kenya.
Africa faces a mounting debt crisis
Rising rates are hurting some of its brightest economic stars | Middle East & Africa