(September 9, 2004) Iraqi President Ghazi Al-Yawar began a European tour Wednesday in Germany voicing optimism that elections in his country would go ahead by the end of January as scheduled and appealing for more help with debt relief.
Iraq calls for big debt write-off in Berlin talks
(September 9, 2004) Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer renewed calls for a big write-off of his country’s massive foreign debt at talks Thursday with German leaders in Berlin.
IMF sees Iraq economic program before end-2004
(September 9, 2004) The International Monetary Fund says Iraq could have an IMF-backed economic program with financing in place by the end of 2004 following "good progress" made in talks last week in Paris.
Chinese officials embezzling billions in state assets, fleeing the country
(September 9, 2004) According to the latest official count, some 4,000 senior Chinese officials and managers of state-owned businesses have fled abroad over the past two decades with as much as $50 billion dollars in embezzled money.
Equatorial Guinea’s oil boom leaves poor behind
(September 8, 2004) The subject of corruption is taboo in Equatorial Guinea’s tightly-controlled media, but some of the government’s publicised spending choices are enough to set tongues wagging.
Iraq debt relief talks deadlocked
(September 9, 2004) The United States’ campaign for a rapid write-off of almost all of Iraq’s foreign debt is going nowhere for now, sources say.
King to rally support for Iraq debt reduction – Jordan
(September 7, 2004) His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday said Jordan will continue supporting international efforts to help rebuild Iraq and reduce its foreign debt.
Outside expert did business with dictator
(September 7, 2004) Senate investigation reveals Riggs Bank independent consultant on Equatorial Guinea was a business partner of the country’s dictator, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the bank’s biggest depositor.
Grease is the word for oil in Equatorial Guinea
(September 7, 2004) A U.S. Senate report paints "a damning portrait of financial impropriety and sleaze" in Equatorial Guinea says campaign group Global Witness.
Who’s behind Pinochet’s millions? Judge looking
(September 5, 2004) Chile is a conservative nation, by far the most Swiss country in South America, whose citizens pride themselves on their probity. Many believed that Pinochet might have been a ruthless dictator but at least he wasn’t a thief.
Getting priorities right is a must
(September 3, 2004) What the Lesotho case and the Lugar corruption hearings demonstrate is that institutions must reflect the interests of the countries concerned instead of the domestic politics of the rich and the powerful.
Help me, wonga
(September 3, 2004) Rod Liddle says that Mark Thatcher’s latest difficulties reveal an extraordinary, even hilarious, degree of corruption and humbug in the West.
Reconstructing Iraq
(September 2, 2004) Giving Iraq a real chance to recover also requires a clean break with the financial legacy of the Baathist regime not full and total repudiation, but a significant write-off of debt and war reparations obligations
Britain to give Iraq $90m in aid
(September 1, 2004) Britain yesterday committed £50 million ($90m) in specific bilateral aid projects for war-torn Iraq from a total 544 million package that London has pledged to spend by March 2006.
U.S. diplomat wants more funds for Iraqi security
(August 30, 2004) The new U.S. ambassador to Iraq wants to shift more than $3 billion in U.S. aid away from reconstruction to security, and proposes the U.S. forgive $360 million of Iraq’s debt in the hope other countries will follow suit.
Probe International 