Developing countries spend more on foreign debt than on education as aid cuts deepen, UNESCO finds

A UNESCO report reveals that in 2025, 113 developing countries spent more on servicing foreign debt than on education, with aid to education declining sharply.

• In 2025, 113 developing countries spent more on debt repayment than on education, according to UNESCO; in sub-Saharan Africa, debt spending was 3.6 times that of education.
• UNESCO reported that low- and lower-middle-income countries have lost 21% of aid to education since 2023, with potential further cuts of 30% by 2027.
• Min Jeong Kim, UNESCO education director, said current debt approaches trap countries in austerity and underinvestment, weakening their economic growth.
• Debt Justice policy director Tim Jones stated that debt payments hit a 35‑year high last year and urged the UK to use its G20 presidency for debt relief reform.