Poverty

Amidst questions of upcoming G7 meeting dates and which countries are participating, G7 Finance Ministers met virtually about economic issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IMF says we face the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression because of the coronavirus. As world leaders gather virtually for the Spring International Monetary Fund and World Bank Meetings, the Fund released its April World Economic Outlook Report, dubbing the crisis, the "Great Lockdown" and reporting that the global economy will lose at least $9 trillion in 2020 and 2021.

Washington, DC -  The International Monetary Fund asked G20 countries and other lending countries to stop collecting debt from poor countries due to the coronavirus pandemic."We urge lending countries to take up this call so billions of dollars can be freed up for poor countries dealing with impacts of the coronavirus," said Eric LeCompte who leads Jubilee USA. The religious development group sent a letter to the IMF on Monday urging debt payment moratoriums.

Washington DC - The International Monetary Fund warns of growing financial instability as a result of high debts and risky investing in the release of the IMF 2019 Global Financial Stability Report. The report raised fears that developing countries are borrowing too much."The Fund is recommending more transparency and greater surveillance of corporate and country debt," shared United Nations debt expert and Jubilee USA Director, Eric LeCompte. "While these recommendations are good, they fall short of the policies we need to prevent the next financial crisis.