logo
episode-header-image
May 2023
25m 30s

Debtors’ prism: mounting crises of Afric...

The Economist
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Yesterday
Continental rift: NATO’s tense summit
As NATO leaders gather for the annual summit in Turkey today, the thorniest issue is off the agenda: fractures within the alliance. Our correspondent travels to the Baltics, where a strategic shift is already evident. First there was vibe coding, now vibe lawyering is coming to c ... Show More
20m 19s
Jul 6
The mourning show: the politics of Khamenei’s funeral
The Iranian regime hopes the massive crowds gathered for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral will demonstrate its strength. Our correspondent says they could also reveal its weakness. Why Japan wants to change its divorce laws and custody arrangements. And the first part of our week ... Show More
20m 32s
Jul 3
The 250-year experiment: America’s birthday
Big birthdays are often a time for reflection. Our editors and correspondents chat through the state of American democracy as seen from inside and outside the country, the country’s perennial paroxysms of immigration policy, and its undimmed power to export its culture to the wor ... Show More
36m 12s
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
Debtors’ prism: mounting crises of Africa’s loans
<p>Many of the continent’s economies are hamstrung by debt—much of it held internationally. We look at the <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/05/16/africa-faces-a-mounting-debt-crisis?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintellig ... Show More
25m 30s
May 2021
How bad is Africa’s debt problem?
European, American and African leaders, together with financial institutions, are looking for ways to help restart growth in Africa after the Covid health crisis. Described as the “New Deal” for African economies, leaders aim to find solutions to Africa’s international debt, whic ... Show More
16m 23s
Jun 2025
Debt relief
The financial burden facing the world’s poorest countries is growing. Spain wants rich creditor nations to do more. Host Carmel Crimmins talks to Spanish Economy and Trade Minister Carlos Cuerpo ahead of a meeting of world leaders in Seville that will set out the priorities for f ... Show More
24m 55s
Apr 2023
Without reserves: Bolivia faces an economic crisis
<p>AS A GAS // As a gas producer, the state was able to build up enormous reserves. But failing to pivot when global prices fell has created debt, a <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/04/18/bolivia-is-on-the-brink-of-an-economic-crisis?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medi ... Show More
25m 50s
Apr 2023
Make the world’s money go ‘round: a bunged-up IMF
<p>The International Monetary Fund is sitting on oodles of cash, but failing to disburse it. We examine why China’s lending practices are putting the IMF on <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/04/05/how-to-fix-the-international-monetary-fund?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medi ... Show More
25m 24s
Mar 2023
Hedge of allegiance: South Africa’s diplomatic shift
<p>A policy of ambiguity is swiftly shifting; the country is <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/02/19/why-south-africa-is-drifting-into-the-sino-russian-orbit?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discover ... Show More
26m 16s
Aug 2023
Private Debt Defaults Accelerate; China’s Bond Mess
Companies that borrowed from private markets are struggling to pay as interest rates surge, according to Bloomberg News’ Kat Hidalgo. There’s more distress to come amid record levels of fundraising and ever-increasing deal sizes, Hidalgo says. In this episode of the Credit Edge P ... Show More
34m 20s
Jan 2023
Germany’s tank dilemma
<p>Bonds issued by China’s highly indebted real estate developers have rebounded sharply over the past two months, the EU is on the brink of effectively severing ties with its biggest external diesel supplier, and pressure is mounting on Germany to send its highly prized Leopard ... Show More
8m 20s