Belarus' gross foreign debt payments amounted to $3.058 billion, or 9.3 percent of GDP and 13.7 percent of exports of goods and services, in the first half of 2013, according to a recent statistical report by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.

The principal debt payments in the first half made up $2.459 billion, while the interest payments amounted to $598.8 million, an increase of 4.3 percent.

Government agencies transferred $1.103 billion to service the foreign debt in the first half of 2013 - approximately $870 million was spent to pay off the principal debt and $233 million was spent to pay off the interest.

Gross external debt of Belarus is the outstanding amount of actual current liabilities that require payment of principal and/or interest by the debtor in the future and that are owed to non-residents by residents of Belarus. It incorporates the debts of the government, financial regulatory bodies, banks and other economic sectors.