Criticism of Multilateral Development Banks Operating Reflections During Covid-19 Pandemic - From the Perspective of the Sovereign Debt

Abstract

The problem of sovereign debt crises has a long history at the international level, especially in the face of global crises such as the global financial crisis of '08 and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. In the face of the negative social impacts of these emergencies, the state apparatus of each country needs help with relying on domestic channels such as tax revenues and investment returns to maintain efficient operations. It would, therefore, finance other countries in non-domestic currencies, and such a solution would exacerbate countries' sovereign debt crises. Countries have done well in restructuring their sovereign debt in response to sovereign debt crises, especially in Europe and Africa. The International Development Association provided some debt relief to those countries with fragile economies, but the crisis is still present today. In order to expand sustainable financing and maintain economic stability, new multilateral development banks have been established in some regions. These MDBs have been restructuring since the Great Depression, and their lending policies have indeed eased countries' sovereign debt crises to some extent. However, their financing rules have also influenced other countries' policies, making them widely criticised internationally. In the context of COVID-19, both the strengths and weaknesses of MDBs are exposed, so they still have a long way to go before they can become international institutions that can pay attention to disadvantaged countries and help them develop.