Zimbabwe has requested for international help to clear billions of dollars in debt to avoid economic collapse and mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the Financial Times reported, citing a letter from Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube to the International Monetary Fund and other financial institutions.

Zimbabwe has outstanding debt arrears and has been excluded from emergency loans from international institutions, the newspaper said.

It is about $2 billion behind on payments to lenders, including the World Bank and African Development Bank. The country though has paid off to IMF, the Financial Times said.

Sudan and Eritrea also can’t receive international funding, the Financial Times reported.

By Amaka E. Nliam