The impact of HECS: Does the overhaul go far enough?

In a move aimed at easing the financial burden on millions of Australians, the federal government recently announced a significant overhaul of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme and Higher Education Loan Program (HECS-HELP) indexation system. This change is expected to wipe out approximately $3 billion in student debt and benefit more than 3 million borrowers.…

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative

The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other multilateral, bilateral and commercial creditors began the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in 1996. The program was designed to ensure that the poorest countries in the world are not overwhelmed by unmanageable or unsustainable debt burdens. It reduces the debt of countries meeting strict…

Debt Overview: Development news, research, data

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires significant investment—in infrastructure, human capital, and climate change resilience, among other areas. But governments in developing countries are often limited in their ability to mobilize domestic revenues or private investment, while external grants are scarce. Debt financing is critical for development. But it must be transparent, well-managed, and used in…