All countries borrow money. But low-income countries need to borrow more and are pushed into deepening debt crisis, paying high interest rates to wealthy lenders. Often, they have paid their original debt back, but spiralling interest means they cannot break the cycle. Money that should be spent on food, healthcare, and education is flowing out of countries that can least afford it. Governments across the global south must choose between serving their people or paying creditors.  

Wesley Chibamba, Caritas Africa’s Policy and Advocacy Officer, explained people are dying because they can’t access healthcare. Children cannot go to school. People are going hungry because the governments have debt obligations. Governments don’t have the capacity to respond to humanitarian crisis, like floods or drought – they don’t have the funds.

Next year, our government is hosting the G20 in 2027 - a crucial gathering of the world’s 20 most powerful economies. These leaders have power to fix the global debt system, to make it fair and sustainable for low-income countries.

This is why CAFOD is inviting parishes to sign a new petition this spring and to build on the momentum of 2025. Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla of South Sudan has written a letter to parishioners in England and Wales to explain the impact the debt crisis is having on his country and we hope this letter will be shared in parishes. To read more and if you can help with this, please see cafod.org.uk/parishdebtresources or contact Kathryn Keenan, CAFOD contact for the Shrewsbury Diocese: kkeenan@cafod.org.uk