(November 2, 2007) This is Jeff King’s second major work on the doctrine of odious debts, the first being the landmark study he produced with Ashfaq Khalfan and Bryan Thomas on behalf of the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law at McGill University in 2001 (and finalized in 2003). Like the first, this one is full of important legal history and arguments that odious debt advocates will want to know.
British public spending head exploits public purse
(October 28, 2007) Sir John Bourn, chief investigator of Britain’s public spending body, the National Audit Office, has himself come under public scrutiny for allegations of lavish spending, paid for by the public purse.
Legal scholars set to change the world
(October 20, 2007) In November 2004, Paris Club creditors canceled an unprecedented 80% of the debts they had lent to the regime of Saddam Hussein, catapulting the development of the Doctrine of Odious Debts forward. Now, legal scholars are identifying the many legal principles and precedents supporting lender liability and ensuring that odious debts are never created again.
An oil for food expose
(October 3, 2007) Texas tycoon, Oscar S. Wyatt Jr., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United Nations’ former Oil for Food program for Iraq. The first major Oil for Food contractor to face a jury, Wyatt’s trial provided a glimpse "into the labyrinth of graft and greed in the U.N. program."
Paying for the reconstruction of Iraq
(August 11, 2007) The real problem is that the holders of Iraq’s old foreign debt don’t want it subordinated to a mortgage secured by oil revenues.
Resentment builds in Lesotho highlands
(August 7, 2007) Lesotho’s action against international corruption in one of Africa’s largest engineering schemes holds little weight on the steep, bare mountain sides above the Katse dam and reservoir. Here, anger against the government is easy to find.
Guiding Iraq on a road to recovery
(Augest 3, 2007) Daily attacks on U.S. soldiers, infiltration of terrorists, and mischief-making by Iran and Syria have dominated the postwar headlines over the last two months – creating an image of a quagmire in the making.
African conduit guilty in Lesotho bribe trial
(June 13, 2007) The long-running series of corruption trials against leading international construction companies in the southern African state of Lesotho has reached another milestone with a guilty plea from one of the main intermediaries for the bribes.
Wolfowitz resigns, ending long fight at World Bank
(May 17, 2007) The resignation, effective June 30, brings a dramatic conclusion to two days of negotiations between Mr. Wolfowitz and the bank board after weeks of turmoil.
Graft Fights Back
(May 9, 2007) A majority on the World Bank’s board, many of whom are directors from Third World countries opposed to president Paul Wolfowitz’s anti-corruption campaign, understandably want him out. But why is the World Bank Group Staff Association so intent on getting rid of Wolfowitz?
Predatory lending
(May 4, 2007) In the flap over Paul Wolfowitz’s "sweetheart deal" for Shaha Riza, World Bank staffers are demanding his resignation to protect the "credibility" of the Bank. This is rich.
Why Wolfowitz should stay
(May 1, 2007) For the past few weeks, the world has been riveted by the difficulties of Paul Wolfowitz, president of the World Bank, regarding a potential conflict of interest involving the salary of his partner, also a senior official there. With the bank’s board deliberating this week over how to handle the charges, the controversy now needlessly and regrettably threatens Wolfowitz’s presidency, which has been largely defined by his energetic support for a new Africa that is struggling to emerge.
Campaigns against illegitimate debt
(April 20, 2007) Several exciting campaigns by debt activists address opening up government loan records to the public and creditor co-responsibility for illegitimate debt.
Internal Attack
(April 17, 2007) Since its creation in 1944, the World Bank has become the world’s leading architect of Third World corruption. In the Third World countries themselves, the World Bank has created hundreds of state-owned enterprises and then lavished them with money, requiring their officials to subject themselves neither to public oversight nor the bank’s own scrutiny. Among the Western suppliers to these corrupt state corporations, the bank awarded billions of dollars in contracts, again without public oversight or bank scrutiny, let alone market discipline.
Wolfowitz deflects questions about role in scandal
(April 15, 2007) As the World Bank handed out a communiqué that talked about "transparency" and "equity," beleaguered Bank President Paul Wolfowitz deflected a barrage of questions from journalists seeking more information about allegations of nepotism involving a Bank employee who is personally involved with him.
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