(July 7, 2005) In the lead up to the recent G-8 summit at Gleneagles, Scotland, the UK’s BBC News published a series of commentaries written by Africans on debt relief, foreign aid, corruption and other related issues.
Secrecy on loans queried
(July 6, 2005) The Kenyan government’s failure to make its records public denies debt campaigners the moral energy to effectively campaign for the cancellation of debts presumed to be illegitimate and odious, the Kenya Debt Relief Network says.
Roar, Tony
(July 6, 2005) It is that rare moment when a few powerful politicians have the chance to do the right thing – to lift the burden of odious debt from the necks of the world’s poorest people.
Nobel laureate: Debt relief no cure-all
(July 6, 2005) Writing off Africa’s debt, boosting aid and improving trade conditions are not enough to bring the continent out of poverty, Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai has said.
G8 debt relief proposal: preliminary estimates and issues
(July 6, 2005) A presentation based on a leaked report by World Bank senior officials Geoffrey Lamb and Danny Leipziger claiming the G-8 debt relief proposal for poor countries, most of which are African, lacks sufficient compensation to the World Bank’s low-interest lending arm most affected by the debt relief plan, has now been posted to the Odious Debts Web site.
African firms back corruption war
(July 5, 2005) African business leaders are urging world leaders to help them fight corruption in their home countries, reports Jorn Madslien for the UK’s BBC News.
Nigeria wins debt relief
(July 5, 2005) The Paris Club of rich nation lenders has agreed in principle to a debt relief package for Nigeria. The club of 19 member nations is expected to write off about $18 billion of Nigeria’s $35 billion debt and Nigeria plans to buy back its remaining loans using funds from a windfall in oil revenues.
Odious debts and criminal debts
(July 5, 2005) In the leadup to the Live 8 rock concerts around the world calling on western governments to forgive loans to developing countries, The Law Report, an Australian-based radio program on lawmakers and lawbreakers, asked: “What if the catch cry wasn’t ‘forgive poor debtors,’ but instead, ‘punish bad lenders’?
Nigeria gets $20 billion debt pardon
(July 4, 2005) Forty percent buy back option; President Obasanjo blames debt on criminal corruption.
Corruption’s take: $148B
(July 4, 2005) By the African Union’s own estimate, Africa loses as much as US$148-billion a year to corruption, reports Peter Goodspeed in a three-part series on Africa for Canada’s National Post.
Saviour Blair makes African professionals wince
(July 4, 2005) No to Begging! No to Foreign Aid!
Nigeria’s debt relief: a news analysis
(July 3, 2005) Nigeria’s tortuous road to debt relief: the Tony Blair factor.
The failure of altruism
(July 2, 2005) Well-intentioned efforts have failed to improve life for most Africans.
Sweet victory ahead on debt relief?
(June 2, 2005) The 10-year battle to wipe out the debt burden of the world’s most impoverished nations is reaching a climax.
Nigeria happy about debt relief but battles loom
(July 1, 2005) Nigeria’s government is euphoric after securing debt relief from its biggest creditors, but the pressure is on to produce benefits for a skeptical population used to seeing the nation’s wealth squandered and stolen.
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