A balanced approach is needed to deal with public debt according to a senior UN official and former Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Debt is a normal part of a country’s finances.

Governments borrow to pay for a wide range of services and other needs.

Helen Clark, is the current Administrator of the UN Development Programme, UNDP and former premier of New Zealand.

When she was in power, the Pacific country had zero debt.

Mark Bettancourt met Ms Clark at a recent seminar at the IMF-World Bank Meetings.

He began by asking her about the consequences of too much debt.

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