Imagine being the finance minister of a country that has long relied on foreign aid to fund critical public services. You hear the news that your country’s most prominent donors have economic constraints and are shifting priorities. The budget you had meticulously planned, counting on aid inflows to support essential sectors, is now in question. You must quickly address funding shortfalls and reassure citizens of your country’s economic viability.
Some will view this as an opportunity for self-sufficiency; others will point out the dire socioeconomic reality that compels governments to borrow more. The retreat of global aid and programme suspensions comes when debt levels in low-income countries are already high, with fiscal…
