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Sri Lanka's debt crisis

Why is Sri Lanka facing its biggest economic crisis for decades? It's left the population enduring months of power cuts, while essentials are in short supply.

Why is Sri Lanka facing its biggest economic crisis for decades? It's left the population enduring months of power cuts, while essentials are in short supply.
How has the country's debt spiralled out of control and what will a debt default mean for ordinary people?
We hear from protestors on the street who are demanding a change of government, and how an IT entrepreneur is grappling with power cuts. Plus, Shanta Devarajan, a former chief economist at the World Bank who will be negotiating with the International Monetary Fund on behalf of Sri Lanka, tells us what the talks will involve.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon
Producer: James Graham

Photo: Sri Lankan protestors in Colombo, April 2022. Credit: Getty Images

Available now

18 minutes

Broadcast

  • Wed 13 Apr 2022 07:32GMT

Podcast