This study brings readers up to date on the complicated subject of debt relief for poor countries. It also addresses the questions of more efficient and equitable government spending, building better institutions and attracting productive private investment.

The table provides information on HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Country) Initiative debt relief provided by each non-Paris Club official bilateral creditor to post-completion point HIPCs. It tracks the HIPC Initiative debt relief granted by these creditors so far. The table will be updated annually in the context of the "HIPC Initiative Status of Implementation Report." It will also be updated when creditors and debtors provide comprehensive information for updating the estimates of HIPC Initiative debt relief provided.

The African Development Bank commissioned four case studies on Debt Relief Initiatives, Development Assistance and Service Delivery in Ghana, Malawi, Senegal, and Uganda from the last quarter of 2006 to mid 2007. The objective of the study was to appraise the extent to which debt relief resources are being used to improve social service delivery. There is strong agreement from all four case studies that debt relief created flexibility in governments spending by playing the role of flexible and predictable budget support. In this context, governments acquired more degrees of freedom to allocate debt relief resources in line with their own objectives. In all four countries debt relief resources were more easily transformed into MDG-related spending than tied aid. The case studies had a consensus in identifying the accountability of public institutions to civil society, through community monitoring or execution of expenditures, as the most effective means of enhancing spending effectiveness. This formed the basis for the success observed in program implementation. From the findings of the case studies it is clear that debt relief can lead to enhanced service delivery provided certain conditions prevail. These conditions can be influenced by donors as well as the willingness of beneficiary governments to undertake reforms. The general observation across the case studies is that debt relief has a major positive impact on service delivery, and progress towards the MDGs, when beneficiaries: (i) have high capacity in MDG spending, (ii) are highly accountable, and (iii) receive stable and high-quality aid.

This supplement discusses the financial structure for the implementation of the G-8 debt relief proposal or Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI). Implementation of the MDRI will require action by the Executive Board and by contributions to the Subsidy Account of the PRGF Trust. To be in a position to deliver debt relief under the MDRI by the beginning of 2006 will require the early adoption by the Board of a number of decisions. It will also require the timely consent by all contributors to the Subsidy Account of the PRGF Trust to an amendment of the PRGF Trust Instrument that would allow the transfer of a portion of their resources to a new administered account for use in providing MDRI debt relief to HIPCs with incomes above the MDRI threshold.

In June 2010, the International Development Association (IDA) and the IMF agreed that Comoros had met the requirements for reaching the decision point under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. As a result of the debt reconciliation exercise for the completion point, the present value of eligible external debt at end-2009 has been revised upward. Full delivery of HIPC assistance together with additional bilateral assistance beyond HIPC and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) debt relief at the completion point would reduce Comoros’ external debt burden significantly.

This paper provides an update on the delivery of HIPC Initiative debt relief by non- Paris Club official bilateral creditors and proposes measures to increase their participation. It finds that non-Paris Club creditors have provided about one third of the total HIPC Initiative debt relief expected from them, with significant variations among creditors. Although the response rate to the survey sent by staffs of the Bank and the Fund to creditors was higher than in previous years, the information received is still limited and partial, and the estimate of debt relief delivered remains preliminary.

Pastor and TV preacher John Avanzini offers practical stragegies for people to emerge from their unending web of debt, arguing that God does not want people to incur debt or remain there.

Reports on the implementation of the MDRI since December 2005, in line with the request made by Directors that a progress report be presented to the Board before the 2006 Spring Meetings. Includes a focus on the implementation of the initiative in the Fund, and covers implementation in other multilateral institutions.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has successfully implemented key reforms under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, despite experiencing exceptional challenges since the decision point, including a challenging security situation. Revised present value of HIPC assistance has given satisfactory assurances of their participation in the enhanced HIPC Initiative. The DRC does not qualify for topping-up under the enhanced HIPC Initiative. Full delivery of HIPC debt relief, and additional bilateral assistance beyond HIPC and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative debt relief at the completion point would reduce the DRC’s external debt burden significantly.