Mali, Dominica first to get Paris Club debt relief under G20 deal

PARIS (Reuters) - The Paris Club of creditor nations have accepted suspending debt service payments from Mali and the Caribbean island of Dominica until the end of the year as part of a G20 debt relief deal, the group said on Monday.

The two countries thus become the first two to benefit from the deal after the Group of 20 countries and Paris Club agreed to freeze the debt payments of the 77 poorest countries from May 1 through to the end of the year to free up cash for the fight against the pandemic.

The Paris Club, an informal group of government creditors, said in a statement that its members would continue to coordinate closely with other concerned parties, especially when the time comes to consider extending the suspension.

(Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Alison Williams)