Hundreds of protesters recently marched through Accra, demanding the cancellation of Africa’s ballooning external debt, which campaigners call a matter of “reparative justice.” The demonstration was organized by Ghana’s Trades Union Congress and the International Trade Union Confederation of Africa. It highlighted how rising debt burdens threaten public services like health and education across the continent.
Read more: External African Debt Exceeds $1 TrillionA recent UNDP report underscored the urgency. Africa’s external debt doubled from about $500 billion in 2020 to over $1 trillion in 2024. Currently, 22 countries on the continent are in or near distress. Activists argue that servicing these debts, often under IMF-led austerity conditions, undermines investment in health and education.
