Abstract
In the beginning of the millennium, a refreshing urgency is inspiring the search for lasting solutions to the debt problems of developing countries, especially the poorest of them. One problem that has been the focus of much attention and contention over the years, with serious implications for the enjoyment of human rights, is that of foreign debt. The debt of many developing countries, and particularly of the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPCs), has not been resolved, despite important and significant measures and initiatives adopted by creditors at the national or multilateral levels. Policies of adjustment and efforts to integrate HIPCs into the global economy should be based on an examination of this phenomenon, as it relates to other development priorities.
