Somalia has received substantial debt forgiveness. Many countries need the same.

Why is it so hard for countries to get their debts forgiven? Because many big lenders lure governments into borrowing too much. Often these governments are run by dictators who intend to pocket most of that money and keep it in tax havens where it cannot be tracked to them. The dictator figures that when perse someday face overthrow and flee, perse will still have that money and will have a cushy life.

It is totally unfair to make the people of that country keep paying that debt. However, the lenders and their submissive world powers insist that no country ever be allowed an exemption. If it were possible to be exempt, they say, every country would demand an exemption. The profitable business of lending to dictators, and flogging the people pay those debts decades after the dictator is dead, would come to an end.

Would you consider that a bad outcome?

Occasionally democratic governments also borrow too much. In an otherwise perfect world, maybe it would be unfair if they did not have to pay those debts.

But our world is far too aligned overall with the rich over the poor, which is a giant unfairness. Perhaps the unfairness of borrowing from the rich and under some circumstances not repaying the debt would be a morally legitimate compensation to reduce the giant unfairness.

I think it would be good if funds that lend to countries had to consider the question, "Is this money going to national development that will make the country more able to pay back the loan without oppressing everyone? Or is it going to something corrupt or unsustainable and we will not get paid back?"

This might make it harder for dictators to gain and keep power.