The document discusses whether the debt of heavily indebted poor countries (HIPCs) should be written off. It notes that the HIPC initiative began in 1996 to reduce debt levels of 38 heavily indebted poor countries to sustainable levels, as most could not repay debts due to issues like corruption, disasters, wars and bad policies. To date, 36 countries have received full debt relief under HIPC and MDRI programs. The document examines perspectives from the IMF, Africa, and outlines pros and cons of debt relief initiatives.