(December 17, 2004) Iraq needs "pretty darn near full" debt forgiveness to recover, said Frederick Barton, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington policy study group.
Other News Sources
Debt deal is a boon for Iraq
(December 17, 2004) Iraq’s other creditors, including its neighbors in the Middle East, some European countries not in the Paris Club and private commercial creditors, are feeling the squeeze to accept the Paris Club’s 80 percent debt-forgiveness formula.
Making poverty history
(December 16, 2004) 2005 could be a big year in the fight against poverty.
Annan pledges to aid in Oil-for-Food probe
(December 16, 2004) U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has pledged full cooperation with investigations into alleged abuses in a U.N. oil and aid program and said U.N. employees can be fired if they do not comply.
Free trade, not free aid, will help to end poverty
(December 14, 2004) UK Chancellor Gordon Brown’s apparently progressive lead in exhorting wealthy countries to recognize ‘their obligations to the poorest of the world’ does not address poverty’s homegrown roots, says analyst.
New Zealand author of damning book on UN to lose job
(December 14, 2004) A New Zealand doctor and United Nations employee who co-wrote a book exposing sex, drugs and corruption among UN peacekeeping forces says he is being sacked.
Corruption case aims at Soeharto’s daughter
(December 13, 2004) The oldest daughter of the former Indonesian president Soeharto is being investigated for corruption following revelations she received a secret £16.5 million payment from a British arms company.
Chilean judge indicts Pinochet
(December 13, 2004) President Augusto Pinochet has been placed under house arrest on human rights charges. The former military ruler was indicted over the disappearance of nine opposition activists and the killing of one of them during his 17-year regime.
Nepad man implicated in bribe scandal
(December 13, 2004) A top adviser for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development has been implicated in a multimillion-rand bribery scandal.
Thailand: Hydro given lead role in power development
(December 13, 2004) Hydro-power plants and coal-power plants feature predominantly in the Energy Ministry’s new development plan, which foresees the construction of 18 new plants with a combined capacity of 13,230 megawatts between 2011 and 2015.
Iraq’s debt will be serviced, eventually
(December 13, 2004) Iraq has about $16 billion to $22 billion of commercial debt outstanding, although that total may rise as more claimants come forward.
The Pinochet money trail
(December 12, 2004) In Chile, the fact that General Pinochet secreted large sums of money in other countries has forced a reassessment of his legacy and prompted scathing headlines questioning his integrity.
UK to press for poor countries’ debt write-off: ‘Marshall Plan for Africa’
(December 10, 2004) UK Chancellor and Treasury chief Gordon Brown declared this week the creation of a ‘Marshall Plan for Africa’ is at the heart of his government’s agenda for its presidency of the Group of Eight rich nations in 2005.
Analysis: Russia writes off Iraq debt for possible oil stake
(December 10, 2004) Russia’s reversal of its longstanding position opposing Iraqi debt forgiveness is ‘inextricably linked’ to the Iraqi government’s reconsideration of agreements between Russian oil companies and the former regime of Saddam Hussein.
Guardian victory in arms bribe case
(December 9, 2004) The high court yesterday ordered the release of files disclosing payments by a leading British arms company to the daughter of the then president of Indonesia in a landmark ruling for freedom of information.


