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Developing countries spend more on foreign debt than on education as aid cuts deepen, UNESCO finds
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Developing countries spend more on foreign debt than on education as aid cuts deepen, UNESCO finds
A UNESCO report reveals that in 2025, 113 developing countries spent more on servicing foreign debt than on education, with aid to education declining sharply.
- In 2025, 113 developing countries spent more on debt repayment than on education, according to UNESCO; in sub-Saharan Africa, debt spending was 3.6 times that of education.
- UNESCO reported that low- and lower-middle-income countries have lost 21% of aid to education since 2023, with potential further cuts of 30% by 2027.
- Min Jeong Kim, UNESCO education director, said current debt approaches trap countries in austerity and underinvestment, weakening their economic growth.
- Debt Justice policy director Tim Jones stated that debt payments hit a 35‑year high last year and urged the UK to use its G20 presidency for debt relief reform.
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