Paris Club
The Paris Club is an informal group of 22 government creditors, including the UK, that agrees joint debt relief for countries that cannot pay; since 1956 it has treated $616 billion of debt for 102 debtor countries (Paris Club). It has no legal status, takes decisions by consensus, and normally only deals with countries that have an IMF programme. It is chaired and run by officials of the French Treasury.
Who leads it
- Chairman (Director-General of the French Treasury): Bertrand Dumont (clubdeparis.org)
- Secretary General: Benjamin Dartevelle (clubdeparis.org)
The UK and the Paris Club
The United Kingdom is one of the 22 permanent members (Paris Club governance and members page).
Key figures
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent members (as listed when read) | 22 | Paris Club, read 20 October 2026 |
| Debtor countries treated (since 1956) | 102 | Paris Club, read 20 October 2026 |
| Debt treated (since 1956) | $616 billion | Paris Club, read 20 October 2026 |
| Treatments (since 1956, as shown when read) | 485 (home page); the roles page says 484 agreements | Paris Club, read 20 October 2026 |
| Secretariat (as stated when read) | ten-person team of French Treasury officials | Paris Club, read 20 October 2026 |
| Ad hoc participants (as stated when read) | China (since 2013), India (since 2019), Hungary (since 2024) | Paris Club, read 20 October 2026 |
What it decides
- Agrees debt treatments for debtor countries: rescheduling, or reductions in debt service for a period (flow) or as of a set date (stock) (Paris Club roles page).
- Decisions require consensus among participating creditors (principle of consensus).
- Conditionality: deals only with countries that need relief and have a current IMF-supported programme; the size of relief is based on the financing gap in the IMF programme.
- Deliberations are kept confidential (principle of information sharing).
- The IMF, World Bank, regional development banks, OECD, UNCTAD and the European Commission attend as observers.
Records you can check
- Amounts owed to Paris Club membersDebts owed to members by each borrowing country at 31 December each year, split into official development assistance (ODA) and non-ODA
- Countries and agreementsEvery agreement signed with each debtor country
- Annual reportsYearly activity reports
Common questions
Is the UK in the Paris Club?
Yes. The UK is one of 22 permanent members (Paris Club).
How much debt has the Paris Club dealt with?
$616 billion for 102 debtor countries since 1956 (Paris Club key figures).
Does the Paris Club require an IMF programme?
Yes, in practice. The Paris Club says a debtor must have a current programme supported by an IMF arrangement, and the level of relief is based on the financing gap identified in that programme.
Is China a member of the Paris Club?
No. China has taken part on an ad hoc basis since 2013, according to the Paris Club.
Who runs the Paris Club?
A senior French Treasury official chairs it, currently Bertrand Dumont, Director-General of the Treasury; a ten-person French Treasury team forms the secretariat (Paris Club).
Other bodies at level 9
- African Development Bank
- Asian Development Bank
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
- Bank for International Settlements
- Basel Committee on Banking Supervision
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- European Investment Bank
- Financial Stability Board
- International Monetary Fund
- World Bank Group
Sources
- Paris Club: Home (key figures), read 20 October 2026
- Paris Club: Governance and members, read 20 October 2026
- Paris Club: Roles and missions, read 20 October 2026
- Paris Club: Our history, read 20 October 2026
- Paris Club: Amounts outstanding (encours), read 20 October 2026