The Sudan Tribune published a report dated 29 June 2026 titled "China Forgives $50 Million of Sudan's Debt to Ease Economic Strain."
Sudan and China signed on 28 June an agreement to cancel about $50 million in four interest-free loans that China had provided to Sudan.
Comment: China and Sudan have made much of this debt cancellation. It is important to put it in perspective. At the end of 2023, Sudan's total external debt stood at $66.8 billion. According to AIDDATA, a research lab at William & Mary, Sudan's debt to China at the end of 2021 totaled $18 billion. (See page 392 of the AIDDATA report here.)
While any debt cancellation for Sudan is a welcome development, this particular decision does not even scratch the surface of Sudan's debt problem.
