AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has called on the UK to urgently lead with concrete action, not rhetoric, in addressing the sovereign debt crisis.

The call comes as the UK plans to host the G20 Presidency in 2027, and ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting in Antigua and Barbuda in November

While CHOGM will convene under the theme of ‘Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth,’ the realities tell a different story: one in three Commonwealth countries is in debt distress, with a majority of the global debt contracts overseen by UK law.

This call for concrete leadership also comes on the heels of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office’s announcement to slash UK Aid funding by up to 90% to some countries, including Malawi and Mozambique, which already face severe fiscal squeeze preventing them from investing in social protection measures.

In June, AHF and partners launched the Freedom from Debt campaign, which calls on global leaders to accelerate the implementation of the Borrowers’ Forum to unify the Global South’s voice and increase its negotiating power.