Mathaba.net
April 22, 2006

Ahead of this weekend’s Spring meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), Africa Action and allied organizations today staged a theatrical “health inspection” of these institutions, finding them to be a public health hazard in Africa and other impoverished regions. Africa Action also challenged World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz’s drive to fight corruption in Africa, charging that his approach is one-sided and fails to take into account both the deep roots of this problem and the nature of the economic crisis in which many African countries find themselves after decades of World Bank and IMF involvement. This afternoon’s action highlighted the devastating impact of World Bank and IMF policies on health in Africa, emphasizing the “tunnel vision” of these institutions in enforcing conditions that constrain the ability of African governments to address HIV/AIDS and other urgent health needs. Africa Action notes that African governments have had to limit their spending on health care, and privatize health care services, in order to meet macroeconomic targets set in Washington, DC, and this has left millions of people without access to adequate health care. It has also created a dramatic shortage of health care workers on the continent. Salih Booker, Executive Director of Africa Action, said today, “Africa’s ongoing debt crisis drains scarce resources from spending on urgent needs. The World Bank and IMF continue to insist that dozens of African governments prioritize debt repayments to these institutions over the needs of their own people. The policies of these institutions have added fuel to the fire of HIV/AIDS in Africa, and the World Bank and IMF have proven themselves to be extremely hazardous to the health of the continent’s people.” Recent reports indicate that the World Bank may delay debt relief for some African countries because of concerns about government corruption -a topic which has emerged as a key focus of Paul Wolfowitz. Africa Action emphasizes that Africa’s debts are illegitimate in nature, and should be canceled outright and unconditionally as a matter of economic justice. The organization notes that the World Bank has itself been responsible for billions of dollars in loans to corrupt governments, and that the institution must also be held accountable for such bad lending. Ann-Louise Colgan, Director of Policy Analysis & Communications at Africa Action, said, “Attempts by the World Bank to renege on earlier promises of debt cancellation by citing concerns over corruption represent a blatant abuse of creditor power. They also reveal a short memory about that institution’s own role in fostering corruption in African countries. These debts are illegitimate and odious, they continue to have a devastating impact on Africa’s people, and they should be written off immediately and without creditor-imposed conditions.” Marie Clarke Brill, Director of Public Education & Mobilization at Africa Action, said, “Corruption is a real concern for civil society in the Global South, and steps being taken to address this challenge in those countries deserve international support. But the interference of the World Bank and IMF in African countries has done more harm than good. Africa’s people can better identify their own priorities. The recent moves by Zambia to eliminate ‘user fees’ and expand access to health care in that country reveal how the reduction of World Bank and IMF influence permits real progress on real needs.” Today’s action outside the IMF headquarters in Washington, DC was co-sponsored by 50 Years is Enough Network, Jubilee USA Network, Mobilization for Global Justice and Stop HIV/AIDS in India.