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Debt Sustainability in Low-Income Countries - The Grants versus Loans Debate in a World without Crystal Balls

Author

Listed:
  • Ugo PANIZZA

    (Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement de Genève)

Abstract

When allocating their aid budget, development agencies need to decide whether to give outright grants or use concessional loans that blend a grant and credit element. Theory suggests that the degree of concessionality should be negatively correlated with debt sustainability. Several donors use the World Bank/IMF Debt Sustainability Framework to guide their aid decisions. They give loans to low-risk countries, a blend of loans and grants to medium-risk countries, and only grants to high-risk countries. The paper shows that there are problems with this approach and proposes an alternative allocation mechanism based on GDP-indexed concessional loans.

Suggested Citation

  • Ugo PANIZZA, 2015. "Debt Sustainability in Low-Income Countries - The Grants versus Loans Debate in a World without Crystal Balls," Working Papers P120, FERDI.
    • Handle: RePEc:fdi:wpaper:2006
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    Cited by:

    1. Ugo Panizza, 2025. "Long-Term Debt Sustainability in Emerging Market Economies: A Counterfactual Analysis," Review of Development Finance Journal, Chartered Institute of Development Finance, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19.
    2. Danny Cassimon & Karel Verbeke & Dennis Essers, 2017. "The IMF-WB Debt Sustainability Framework: Procedures, Applications and Criticisms," Development Finance Agenda, Chartered Institute of Development Finance, vol. 3(1), pages 4-6.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems

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