In 2023, frontier market (FM) accumulated some $20 billion of new debt, bringing the total to $3.5 trillion. For the first time since 2020, the FM debt-to-GDP ratio increased, as growth and inflation subsided.

After reaching an all-time high of $3.5 trillion in Q1 2023, total debt in frontier markets (FM) saw a slight decline in Q2 2023.

Some $120 billion was added to the debt pile of frontier markets in 2022, bringing it to an all-time high of $3.6 trillion.

As borrowing slowed, frontier market debt dipped to $3.5 trillion in Q2 2022—still $480 billion above pre-pandemic levels. Helped by economic recovery in an inflationary environment, the FM debt-to-GDP ratio edged down to 103% in Q2 2022.

Total debt in frontier markets surged to a new record high of $3.5 trillion in 2021-some $500 billion above pre-pandemic levels. However, after reaching an all-time high in 2020, FM debt declined to 108% of GDP in 2021-helped by recovery and inflation.