Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, has attributed the country’s success in restructuring its external debt to three key strategies that could serve as a template for other nations facing similar fiscal challenges.
Speaking on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, Dr. Amin Adam underscored the importance of burden sharing, simplicity in the restructuring approach, and transparency in dealings with creditors.
Ghana, which recently concluded a highly anticipated external debt restructuring programme, secured significant debt relief from its creditors, including a $5 billion debt cancellation and a $4.3 billion debt service relief, saving the country approximately $12 billion across bilateral agreements and Eurobonds.
The debt restructuring process, completed in nine months, is considered a marked success relative to the two years often taken by other nations to restructure similar debt portfolios.
Dr. Amin Adam’s first point of emphasis during the interview was the concept of fair burden sharing, achieved through the domestic debt exchange programme. He explained that Ghana prioritized restructuring its domestic obligations to demonstrate to external creditors the government’s seriousness in addressing its fiscal situation.
“You cannot go to creditors and ask them for relief when you are not restructuring your own domestic debt to put your house in order,” he stated. This early sacrifice signaled to international lenders that Ghana was committed to economic reforms, which brought them to the negotiating table.
The second critical element was simplicity. Ghana opted for what Dr. Amin Adam described as a “plain vanilla” structure, focusing on straightforward adjustments to the principal and coupon payments of its debt.
This approach avoided the complexity of instruments like state-contingent bonds, which can complicate negotiations and implementation. By keeping the structure simple, Ghana was able to accelerate the negotiation process, completing it in record time.
The final pillar was transparency. Dr. Amin Adam noted that Ghana’s willingness to share all relevant data with creditors played a pivotal role in building trust.
“We published all the documents, and we are even committed to further transparency in terms of debt levels,” he explained, adding that the government has committed to publishing quarterly and half-yearly debt reports, ensuring creditors have full visibility into the nation’s financial management.
As Ghana now looks to stabilize its economy post-restructuring, the success of the debt programme not only provides fiscal relief but also serves as a blueprint for nations grappling with the burden of unsustainable debt levels.
