Barbados to launch $1.2bn debt-for-social swap to fund healthcare

Barbados will execute a $1.2bn debt-for-social swap by January 1, generating over $320m in savings to finance healthcare and childhood obesity programs. The deal, announced by Finance Minister Ryan Straughn, is a novel financial instrument that could set a precedent for other small island states. The structure and investor participation remain to be detailed, but the swap signals innovative sovereign debt management.