The International Monetary Fund is exploring additional tools to provide financing to the world's poorest countries and others hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said.

Georgieva told finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of 20 major economies that they should consider extending a freeze in official bilateral debt service payments offered to the poorest countries beyond the end of the year, and work to promote greater private-sector participation.

Beyond that, she said there is a need to think about “more comprehensive debt relief for many countries”, given the severity of the crisis and the high debt levels already in place before the current crisis.