Western governments told to suspend debt interest amid Covid-19

IMF and World Bank asking countries to agree to requests for forbearance

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Western governments are being told to suspend the collection of debt interest from developing nations to prevent a new debt crisis for the world's poorest countries as the coronavirus outbreak escalates.

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank called on governments that lend to poorer nations to agree to requests for forbearance from poorer nations and to delay taking debt payment, allowing time for assessment of the crisis.