Bangladesh pay off record amount of external debt, and other news (6 August 2019)

Investments by the IFC into Uzbekistan's private sector and a record external debt repayment in Bangladesh

Each week we highlight some of the international development stories from across the globe that have caught our attention.

  • The Bangladesh Government have paid off $1.57 billion to external lenders during the 2018-19 fiscal year, the highest amount yet. Although their external debt repayment makes up less than 1% of Bangladesh’s GDP, larger supplier credit repayments in the futures may put pressure on the economy. Read more in The Daily Star (Bangladesh).
  • During a delegation visit from DFID, the Governor of Imo State, Nigeria has stated that he is willing to partner with DFID to improve challenges in the area, such as a lack of healthcare structure and power supply, and the issues caused by perennial flooding. Read more in This Day Live (Nigeria).
  • The IFC have invested $162.8 million in Uzbekistan to date to develop the country’s private sector, aiming to help support infrastructure growth and create jobs, and, ultimately, lift Uzbekistan to middle-income country status. Read more in AzerNews.