(March 9, 2005) Nigeria’s parliament has passed a nonbinding resolution demanding the country, Africa’s most-indebted nation, stop repaying its US$35 billion foreign debt.
Other News Sources
Aminatta Forna: the West must own up to its part in African corruption
(March 9, 2005) The Africa Commission this week will finally acknowledge the West’s complicity in corruption.
Indebted nations must pay to play, creditors say
(March 8, 2005) The secretary-general of the Paris Club, Emmanuel Moulin, said the Club has never recognized the concept of odious debt due its difficult implementation as a policy.
Blair’s Commision For Africa Report Calls For West To Clean Up It’s Act
(March 7, 2005) The long awaited final report of British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Commission for Africa calls on the developed world to help Africa curb corruption by cleaning up its own act, reports the UK’s Guardian newspaper.
The Argentine ‘solution’
(March 7, 2005) Argentina had been painfully slow to restructure its debts. Because it held off deciding to default for so long, the decision – when it finally came – hit the country hard.
Blair targets corruption in Africa plan
(March 5, 2005) Tony Blair will next week demand a radical shake-up of the west’s approach to the world’s poorest continent when his year-long Africa Commission calls for a doubling of aid, the dismantling of trade barriers, the writing off of debts and immediate action to stamp out
corruption.
Spotlight falls on corruption of Africa
(March 5, 2005) Rather than putting the blame solely on African governments, which has been the common tendency of some western governments, the Commission for Africa report makes a significant shift in the other direction.
Fiscal crisis takes a ‘creative’ turn in the Philippines
(March 4, 2005) A Filipino senator this week suggested the government look at Argentina’s model of debt default as one of a number of ways to ease the country’s ballooning national debt of P3.36 trillion ($60 billion).
Senators ask government to address P3-T debt
(March 4, 2005) Two lawmakers called on the Philippine government to ease borrowing from other countries and mortgage banks to address the country’s P3.81-trillion debt.
Laos dam just the latest grand project to show disdain for the environment and local opinion
(March 3, 2005) Making a mockery of the World Bank’s decision-making process, construction on the project has already begun.
Why Kenya deserves debt relief
(March 3, 2005) We spend millions – multiples of healthcare costs servicing debts while our sick languish at home with bare cupboards, dirty drinking water and no medicine. And yet, we are the norm.
Villar wants debt relief council formed
(March 3, 2005) The chairman of the Philippine Senate committee on finance has proposed the creation of a “council for debt relief” to tackle plans to lower the government’s outstanding debt of P3.36 trillion.
Company faces bribery charges
(March 2, 2005) The Italian company Impregilo SpA will be tried in the Lesotho High Court in April on five charges of bribery relating to the giant Lesotho Highlands Water Project.
Philippines follows Argentina’s debt path
(March 2, 2005) “Unless another large capital loss is appealing, investors should consider Argentina’s default as an example of what can happen in other emerging-market countries, and not as an isolated and resolved event.”
Government debt manageable
(March 2, 2005) A press statement issued by the Philippines Malacañan Palace claims the government can manage the country’s ballooning national debt.


