Ministers of finance and central bank governors of developing countries will convene on the margins of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings to launch the Borrowers’ Platform to improve their debt management capacity.
The initiative is member state-led, with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) serving as the secretariat.
The platform's launch comes amid rising debt pressures across developing countries. Their external debt burden reached $11.7 trillion in 2024. A total of 54 countries, home to 3.4 billion people, now spend more on debt than on health or education.
Opening segment streamed live
The launch event is by invitation only. However, the opening segment will be streamed live on UNTV and will feature statements by:
- António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
- Ahmed Kouchouck, Minister of Finance of Egypt
- Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue of Pakistan
Press conference
The launch event will be followed by a press conference from 2–3 p.m. (EDT). Journalists and media can register here for the press conference.
A break from the past – bringing borrowers into the conversation
The platform addresses a gap in the international financial system, where developing countries remain underrepresented while creditor coordination has expanded.
Creditor-driven coordination and negotiation mechanisms have been insufficiently responsive to borrowers’ collective needs.
The platform will:
- Strengthen South–South cooperation and knowledge-sharing
- Provide technical and advisory support to borrowing countries
- Improve representation in global financial and debt discussions
- Enhance debt transparency and public debt management
- Support sustainable financing and development outcomes
- Send a positive market signal by strengthening debt-sustainability practices and improving data transparency.
Event objectives
The launch event seeks to formally establish the Borrowers’ Platform. The objectives are to:
- Officially open the interim period, during which member states will work to contribute to the framing of the platform
- Establish an interim leadership
- Adopt a work programme until October 2026
