The Debt Data Team manages and maintains the World Bank’s Debt Reporting System (DRS). We work with governments, development partners and creditors to collect, compile, and publish reliable and comprehensive debt data for all World Bank borrowers and enhance data coverage, quality, timeliness, and transparency. The Debt Data Team is housed in the Development Economics and Debt Statistics unit of the World Bank’s Development Data Group.
The debt data collected by the World Bank is central to its own operations and, additionally, is recognized as a global public good. The World Bank launched the first publication of debt statistics, - World Debt Tables – the forerunner of International Debt Report - in 1973. Over the ensuing four decades, the analytical content of the publication and data coverage have been significantly expanded, to provide more detailed data. These data respond to both current international lending patterns and instruments and related analytical needs. Coherent and comprehensive debt data are the cornerstone of good development outcomes to ensure policy makers in borrowing countries assess their countries debts, debt to invite new investment, and help safeguard long-term sustainability.
