The gross external debt of the Republic of Moldova in the first nine months of 2024 increased by 0.5 percent and on September 30 totaled US$10,173.20 million, which is 57 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, IPN reports.
According to the National Bank of Moldova (NBM), the long-term debt represented the largest part of the gross external debt balance (74.5%), amounting to US$7.578,28 billion on September 30, up 1.9% since the end of 2023. The short-term external debt decreased by 3.3% in the first nine months of last year and at the end of September was US$2.594,92 billion.
"The main indicators related to the external debt reveal the advantage of external financing, its efficiency being reflected by the low values of the average quarterly interest rates that were historically maintained at practically constant values," said the NBM.
The public external debt accounted for 39.4% of the total external debt, amounting to US$4.009,45 billion (+4.9% since the beginning of the year). The private external debt came to US$6.163,75 billion, decreasing by 2.1% compared to December 31, 2023.
The short-term public external debt, according to residual maturity, on September 30 totaled US$270.90 million, of which US$1.96 million was the short-term debt, and US$268.94 was the part of the long-term debt that is to be repaid in the next 12 months.
The largest part of the short-term debt, according to residual maturity, belonged to the public administration – 95.4% at the end of the third quarter of 2024, by 1.7 percentage points less compared to the situation on December 31, 2023.
At the end of the third quarter of 2024, the International Monetary Fund was the main creditor of the state with a share of 32.3% of the total public debt (US$1.294.49bn). The IMF is followed by the World Bank Group with 27.4% or US$1.097,23 billion (debt to the International Development Association - $830.72m, debt to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development – $266.51m) and the European Investment Bank with 12.1% (US$484.30m).
