(Refiles to add lenders in final paragraph)
* IMF pushing Congo to renegotiate debt
* Loans primarily came from Trafigura, Glencore
* Many African countries have borrowed from traders
By Julia Payne and Dmitry Zhdannikov
LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) – Congo Republic is set to become the latest African country to start debt relief talks with trading houses after borrowing $2 billion from merchants such as Trafigura and Glencore but now finding its debt levels unsustainable, sources familiar with the matter said.
Trading houses regularly lend money to resource-rich clients in financial distress – be it countries such as Congo, Chad, Morocco or Iraqs Kurdistan region – when other lenders walk away. But traders often charge heavy interest on loa…
Read the full article at: https://www.reuters.com/article/congorepublic-imf-glencore-trafigura/refile-congo-seeks-relief-talks-with-oil-traders-over-2-bln-debt-idUSL8N1Q923X
