(February 3, 2005) Benon Sevan, head of the United Nations office that administered Iraq’s multi-billion dollar oil-for-food programme, "repeatedly solicited" oil allocations from Baghdad, a UN-appointed inquiry said yesterday.
UK Christians call for G7 debt cancellation deal
(February 2, 2005) “If finance ministers agree a deal on debt cancellation, this G7 meeting would be the first milestone on the road towards ending the obscene poverty.”
Environmentalists challenge UEGCL
(February 2, 2005) Critics say Uganda’s Owen Falls Extension is a catastrophe and blame it on the government, Acres International, the project consultants, and the World Bank.
Pressure mounts on G-7 to cancel ‘odious’ debts
(February 2, 2005) Development groups are calling on the Bush administration to support full, unconditional, and immediate debt relief for more than three dozen of the world’s poorest nations.
Blair and Brown cannot afford to fail
(February 2, 2005) Both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have taken a big political risk in setting an ambitious programme on Africa – and will certainly struggle to disguise any failure to make progress in 2005.
Activists urge G7 to cancel debts
(February 2, 2005) Petitions delivered to the US Treasury Department Tuesday called on Group of Seven nations to take action this weekend to cancel debts of the poorest countries.
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.
Nam Theun 2 studies miss the boat
(February 1, 2005) The NT2 Power Company owes Nakai villagers for sacrificing their land and resources and enduring a decade of economic stagnation and owes anyone displaced full compensation for lost resources, livelihoods, income and opportunity.
The IMF’s ‘Guide on Resource Transparency’
(February 1, 2005) While PWYP welcomes the guide, its recommendations are non-binding and implementation is voluntary. How the IMF will prompt governments to adhere to the guide “Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency” is also unclear.
Charging interest on bullets: calls mount for debt cancellation
(February 1, 2005) High-profile debt cases in South Asia, Argentina and Iraq are leading to increased calls worldwide for independent tribunals to determine which debts are not legally enforceable.
The Story of the Dahe Dam: Chapter 3
Chapter 3: A flood of troubles
‘Africa bores me,’ says Live Aid rocker Bob Geldof
(February 1, 2005) “The pace of change is far too slow, and Africans excuse their own complicity in exactly the same way as our politicians,” he said.
How the west dug holes for the poor
(January 31, 2005) During the cold war, the developed nations lent willingly to Africa. No worries then about how corrupt dictators might misuse the money or line their own pockets.
Bush and Brown head for showdown on debt relief
(January 30, 2005) US likely to block Britain’s ‘Marshall Plan for Africa’ at G7 summit.
An alliance of democracies
(January 28, 2005) Building a stronghold of democracies, defining a big-stick policy and making the doctrine of odious an international law should help lay the foundations of a democratic alliance able to stabilize a democratic world order.
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