(February 15, 2006) New international anti-bribery guidelines for export credit agencies were due to be agreed in principle early next month. Opposition from Berlin and Tokyo, plus several smaller countries, means the decision will now be delayed by months, if not years, according to officials close to the negotiations, which are taking place in the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Export bribery rules challenged
(February 15, 2006) Tough new guidelinesGermany and Japan have challenged new draft global anti-corruption guidelines for exporting companies, according to documents seen by the BBC. The countries say that rules aimed at improving the transparency of export credit agencies are too bureaucratic.
Multilateral development bank law
(November 15, 2005) This law includes Senator Lugar’s reform measures contained in Lugar’s amendment S.A. 1293 that passed the Senate by unanimous consent.
Iraq health update: Summer 2005
(July 26, 2005) An update of a report by UK-based charity organization Medact has found growing evidence of corruption and a lack of transparency within Iraq’s Coalitional Provisional Authority.
Sub-Saharan debt: the imperative of contract adjustment
(July 1, 2005) Debtor perspectives lack the scholarly attention needed to inform theories, policy and strategies on debt management and illuminate the socio-economic dynamics that keep Third World economies unsustainable.
International Monetary Fund reform
(June 7, 2005) TESTIMONY, Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance (Washington)
Lugar ties reforms to US$3.7 billion reauthorization for multilateral development banks
(May 26, 2005) U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Dick Lugar today introduced legislation calling for reforms to bring greater transparency and accountability at the five multilateral development banks.
Toward a more effective Canadian aid to Africa
(May 10, 2005) Western aid programs are hobbled by two fundamental problems. The first is the failure to distinguish between African governments or leaders and the people. In Africa, governments or leaders have been the problem, not the people
The limits of reform: the Wolfensohn era at the World Bank
(May 9, 2005) With all the hullabaloo generated by the designation of Paul Wolfowitz as his successor, outgoing World Bank President James Wolfensohn’s record in leading the Bank has so far escaped serious scrutiny, claim Walden Bello and Shalmali Guttal in a new report drawn from Bello’s latest book, Dilemmas of Unmaking the American Empire.
KAIROS analysis of debt recommendations in Commission for Africa Report
(April 1, 2005) Possible actions in the report’s Annex 9 are closer to the actual proposals being debated by G7 finance ministers: some additional debt service relief until 2015 and reinforcement of IMF and World Bank conditionality for African countries.
Our common interest
(March 1, 2005) British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Commission for Africa report.
The world’s 10 worst dictators
(February 22, 2005) The annual top 10 “world’s worst dictators” list compiled by the U.S. weekly lifestyle magazine, Parade in consultation with human-rights organizations.
The impact of debt burden on women
(February 2, 2005) The early 1980’s financial crisis faced by many countries in the South had unpayable debt service as the immediate cause that was precipitated by the tight money policies in the rich countries that drastically hiked international interest rates. The debt debate ignores the fact that debts were contracted as a result of borrowing by undemocratic governments that were not mandated by the people.
On odious debts, the Paris Club, and reparations
(November 28, 2004) Following our first announcement released March 8, 2003 after the re-activation of our union, we demanded a development plan to help kick-start the Iraqi economy. At that time, our union confirmed that an essential prerequisite for such a plan to succeed was the cancellation of debt and reparation claims against the Iraqi people.
Resolution prepared for the Iraqi National Assembly
(November 22, 2004) The Iraqi National Assembly has agreed to support a recommendation by its Economic and Financial Committee (EFC) to repudiate the odious debts incurred by Saddam Hussein.
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