G8 finance2 ministers had agreed a historic deal to cancel US$40 billion worth of debt owed by the world's poorest nations.
18 countries, many in sub-Saharan Africa, will benefit immediately from the deal to scrap3 100 percent of the debt they owe to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the African Development Bank. It would save them a total of US$1.5 billion a year in debt repayments4, that could now be plowed5 into health care, education and infrastructure6 development.
Up to 20 other countries could be eligible7 if they meet strict8 targets for good governance and tackling corruption9.
八大工業國財政部長，同意一項具有歷史性的協議，將世界最貧窮國家積欠總值四百億美金的債務註銷。
有十八個國家（多數是撒哈拉沙漠以南的非洲地區）將立即獲益，百分之百註銷他們積欠世界銀行、國際貨幣基金會以及非洲開發銀行的債務。一年省掉總額十五億美金的償債，可挹注健保、教育，並發展基礎建設。其它有二十個國家，如果能達到良好的治理、處理貪污的嚴格目標，也將有資格免除外債。