Zambia reforms could go to waste if restructuring delayed further -Treasury Secretary

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Zambia could lose gains achieved so far from macroeconomic reforms if its ongoing debt restructuring is further delayed, Treasury Secretary Felix Nkulukusa said on Wednesday.

华盛顿（路透社）——财政部长费利克斯·恩库鲁库萨周三表示，如果进一步推迟正在进行的债务重组，赞比亚可能会失去迄今为止从宏观经济改革中取得的成果。

The nation defaulted on its overseas debt in 2020 and is working on a restructuring with both bilateral creditors and private bondholders, but talks have been dragging on amid a lack of consensus on how to provide debt relief.

该国在 2020 年出现海外债务违约，并正在与双边债权人和私人债券持有人进行重组，但由于就如何提供债务减免缺乏共识，谈判一直在拖延。

“We have an economic programme that is an important element for the reform we are undertaking, but the second component, the restructuring, is delayed,” Nkulukusa said, on a public debt panel during the World Bank and International Monetary Fund spring meetings this week in Washington.

“我们有一项经济计划，这是我们正在进行的改革的重要组成部分，但第二个组成部分，即重组，被推迟了，”nkulukusa 在本周世界银行和国际货币基金组织春季会议期间的公共债务小组会议上说在华盛顿。

Zambia was the first African country to default during the COVID-19 pandemic and is in talks for $18.6 billion of debt, according to official data at the end of last year. While the nation secured a $1.3 billion loan from the IMF in September, it is still in talks with bilateral creditors such as China and the Paris Club under the Group of 20s Common Framework.

根据去年年底的官方数据，赞比亚是第一个在 covid-19 大流行期间违约的非洲国家，并且正在就 186 亿美元的债务进行谈判。虽然该国在 9 月份从国际货币基金组织获得了 13 亿美元的贷款，但它仍在与中国和巴黎俱乐部等 20 国集团共同框架下的双边债权人进行谈判。

Some 60% of low-income countries are in or near debt distress, but the platform set up to help has failed to deliver quick relief. Ghana is also negotiating its debt rework under this platform, while Sri Lanka talks are also dragging since it defaulted a year ago.

大约 60% 的低收入国家处于或接近债务困境，但为提供帮助而设立的平台未能迅速提供救济。加纳也在该平台下就其债务重组进行谈判，而斯里兰卡的谈判也因一年前违约而拖延。

The next IMF payout to Zambia from the loan is contingent upon its bilateral creditors reaching an agreement on the long-delayed debt restructuring. The country recently completed the first review of the programme, and the next one is expected in about three months.

国际货币基金组织下一次向赞比亚支付的贷款取决于其双边债权人就拖延已久的债务重组达成协议。该国最近完成了对该计划的第一次审查，预计下一次审查将在大约三个月后进行。

The country‘s secretary added that the delay signals challenges and tests people’s patience with tough policies as “the population starts questioning what the government is doing.”

该国秘书补充说，随着“民众开始质疑政府的所作所为”，延期标志着挑战和考验人们对强硬政策的耐心。

Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, director of the IMF‘s Strategy Policy and Review Department, was more optimistic about Zambia’s debt restructuring during the panel. “There is hope for good news next week”, she said, without providing any further details.

imf战略政策与审查部主任ceyla pazarbasioglu在小组讨论中对赞比亚的债务重组更为乐观。 “希望下周能有好消息”，她说，但没有提供任何进一步的细节。

The IMF official said that creditors have asked to share and exchange information “sooner” during debt restructuring talks, and added that the Washington-based lender is willing to do so. “We will definitely do that work with our teams,” she said.

这位国际货币基金组织官员表示，债权人已要求在债务重组谈判期间“尽快”分享和交换信息，并补充说这家总部位于华盛顿的银行愿意这样做。 “我们一定会与我们的团队一起完成这项工作，”她说。

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Jorgelina do Rosario in Washington; writing by Rodrigo Campos, editing by Kirsten Donovan)

（andrea shalal 和 jorgelina do rosario 在华盛顿的报道；rodrigo campos 撰写，kirsten donovan 编辑）