UN secretary general backs PM Imran’s call for debt relief

NEW YORK: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has supported Prime Minister Imran Khan’s call for a Global Initiative for debt relief to developing countries, amid coronavirus outbreak.

At a regular virtual press briefing in New York, the Spokesman of the UN Secretary General, Stephane Dujarric said Imran Khan’s initiative is in the same spirit as the Secretary-General’s own position.

He said the UN secretary general believes that debt relief must be an important part of the response to COVID-19, including immediate waiver on interest payments for the current year.

The spokesman said it is important that the limited resources of the world’s poorest countries be used to combat Covid-19 virus.

Read more: PM discusses debt relief for developing countries with German Chancellor

Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan had called for a ‘Global Initiative on Debt Relief’ for developing countries amid coronavirus crisis in order to ‘promote coordinated health and economic response.’

PM Imran Khan had appealed the international community in a video message for taking an initiative on debt relief for the developing countries and also invited United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres to work with him in advancing the objectives of a coordinated response.

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