Malawi's debt relief

The World Bank has indicated that it intends to erase nearly half of Malawi's two-and-a-half billion dollars foreign debt as part of a debt relief programme.

A senior World Bank official, Darius Mans -- speaking after talks with the President, Bakili Muluzi -- said the move follows Malawi's own submission on how it intends to reduce poverty.

Final approval will be made by the bank's executive board next week.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service