Abstract
This study seeks to address this gap and contribute to the broader discourse on debt management and economic policy in developing countries. It employs a time-series analysis approach, which allows for capturing the dynamic and long-term effects of external debt on economic growth and interactions with other economic variables. This study utilises the Auto-Regressive Distribution lag (ARDL) to analyse the data. The empirical estimate demonstrates that Zimbabwe's external debt and economic growth are negatively associated. Specifically, external debt negatively and significantly affects short-run economic growth, implying that higher external debt reduces economic growth. Therefore, in conclusion, the need for policy makers to prioritize other sources of funding, such as domestic savings and foreign direct investment. Also, there is need to be cautious about taking on new external debt, and to carefully consider the potential impact on economic growth. Thus, there should develop a strategy for managing the existing external debt, such as through debt restructuring or rescheduling and focus more on other factors that can contribute to economic growth.