The money will come from the fund’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust.

IMFManaging Director Kristalina Georgieva says the debt relief will run for an initial period of six months.

She says it will enable the poor and vulnerable countries to channel financial resources towards dealing with the COVID 19 pandemic.

Advocacy groups have been calling for debt cancellation as relief for African countries hit by coronavirus infections and the drastic economic measures needed to curb its spread.

The World Bank has forecast that COVID 19 will drive Africa into the first recession is has experienced in a quarter of a century.

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