Urgent Action

Demand that Minister Brian Cowen Supports Reform of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)!

The current managing director of the IMF, Mr Rodrigo De Rato, has just resigned from his job. This presents campaigners with a big opportunity to fight for an end to the undemocratic leadership selection process at the IMF.

The current leadership selection process in place at the IMF and World Bank is a backroom deal made between European governments and the US government when the World Bank and IMF were being set up. It's a totally unjust, colonial arrangement as it ensures political control by the most powerful members of two institutions that have a huge impact on the lives of people living in impoverished countries. This arrangement has stayed in place despite the board of the IMF committing to reform it.

Now that a new leader of the IMF is required, the Irish government has an opportunity to 'Walk the Talk' and end this unacceptable practice.

Now is your opportunity to put pressure on the Minister for Finance Mr Brian Cowen by urging him to show leadership by ensuring the words of the IMF are translated into action. Ask him to take a stand and publicly call for an end to European and US control of selecting the leaders of the IMF and World Bank. Ask him to fight for an open, merit based selection procedure where all members of these institutions, especially the governments of impoverished countries, have an equal say in deciding who leads these two powerful organisations.

You can write to or phone Minister Brian Cowen at:

Try to contact him before July 9th when European Union finance ministers will meet to discuss this issue.

Want to know more....? Recently, a huge opportunity to reform the World Bank leadership selection process was missed when Paul Wolfowitz resigned as president of the World Bank. The US nominee, Robert Zoellick, was the only candidate put forward to replace him at the World Bank. Despite some calls for an open selection process, every country in Europe rubber-stamped his appointment.

And that's not all ..... The entire governance structure of the IMF gives power to the rich members. We are calling for more than reform of just the leadership selection process. We are calling for an entire overhaul of the governance and voting arrangements at the IMF. This is because the IMF does not give all countries an equal opportunity to represent themselves. Votes are allocated based on a one-dollar, one-vote system that prioritises wealth over democracy. Richer countries dominate the executive board in terms of chairs and votes. This is despite the fact that the IMF influences the lives of people in impoverished countries the most. This system, designed during the colonial era and controlled by developed country governments, is inadequate and should be fundamentally changed. For information go to: http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=539161

Mid-term evaluation on MDGs?

Did you know that July 2007 marks the midway point towards the completion of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

In 2000, at the United Nations Millennium Summit, all 189 member states of the United Nations ratified eight goals aimed at halving world poverty by 2015. These goals were meant to be an expression of real political leadership and determination to tackle the complex challenge of poverty. They were meant to offer some hope that extreme poverty, disease, environmental degradation, wars and inequality would not remain with us as we entered the twenty-first century.

What are the Millennium Development Goals?

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDs, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

The goals include concrete, time bound targets that offer a common way of measuring world leaders' progress towards implementing them.

Many justice activists, however, felt that the MDGs did not go far enough - but now there are fears that even these goals will not be met.

So are the MDGs being achieved? The UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2006 shows that some progress has been made. However, there is still a very, very long way to go if rich countries are to keep their promises to the world's poor.

So what can we do?

We can hold our own government accountable as Ireland also signed the Millennium Declaration. In 2010 the Irish government will carry out a Mid-term Evaluation of the National Development Plan 2007-2013. This is a standard requirement under EU regulations. So let's demand that the new Irish government makes it a top-priority to carry out a similar mid-term evaluation in 2007 of their programme for ensuring that the MDGs are implemented. We need to know what real progress has been made since the year 2000 and whether we are on track towards delivering on our commitment to impoverished countries by 2015.

Over to you: write to our minister calling for a mid-term evaluation of the MDGs

Remember if the Irish Government is serious about the MDGs , it must support the cancellation of all illegitimate debts NOW! Otherwise the hole will remain in the bucket - for every €1 we give in official AID - €5 comes back in debt repayments to the IMF/WB.

G8, The World Can't Wait. End Poverty. Now.
On Wednesday, the leaders of the 8 richest countries will meet in Germany during the G8 to discuss issues related to Africa, aid, trade, and climate change. Join me in telling G8 leaders to keep their promises! The World Can't Wait. End Poverty. Now.

Parliamentarian Declaration- ask your TDs and MEPs To Lift the Lid on Illegitimate debts

How? By getting them to sign up and support the INTERNATIONAL call for more just financial relationships between rich and poor countries.

What is the parliamentarian's declaration for shared responsibility about?

Read More & Take Action

Tell the G8 to act against the vultures

A U.S. based debt collecting company has just won over US$15 million (EUR11m) from Zambia, in payment of a debt it bought up for just over $3 million. The G8 must do their part to prevent this kind of predatory action in future.

'Vulture fund' companies are swooping in to buy poor countries' debt at hugely discounted prices, and then suing for the full amount plus interest and punitive damages. It's completely legal, and it's happening right now (Zambia). What's needed is a just and comprehensive debt cancellation system, which takes account of the origins of debts as well as their current impact, and which places the same moral and legal obligations on companies as it does on governments. Tell the current Irish government that you want to see the 'G8' countries signal their support for such a system at their summit in Germany in June. Each of them should also put in place rules to prevent individual companies from targeting countries that have qualified for debt relief. And in the meantime, they should agree to fund legal assistance for countries that are targeted. Act today:

Write to Minister Brian Cowen and Conor Lenihan requesting that they use their influences on the international stage to prevent hard earned money given in debt cancellation to poor countries like Zambia falling prey to vultures like Donegal International.

Remember, they said 100% debt cancellation was impossible - 2005 at the hight of the world campaign to end poverty in the poorest countries of our world - the 100% debt cancellation principle was won because of the pressure of campaigners. Act today 'People before Profit'.

Also - Please add your voice to the Jubilee Debt Campaign UK Petition: http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/?lid=2893

Also - TAKE ACTION TODAY through Jubilee USA's Website to ensure that the vulture funds are stopped. CLICK HERE to write to President Bush and urge him to speak out about vulture funds at the G-8 summit in Germany to be held from June 6-8.

Cancel All Illegitimate Debts Now!

The Problem: Impoverished countries owe $2 trillion ($2,000,000,000,000) in foreign debts.

The Injustice: A large amount of the money owed is either

Unpayable Payments causing unacceptable suffering and deprivation especially in areas of health and education - or - Illegitimate The money was lent irresponsibly for useless projects or given on unfair terms with damaging conditions attached.

Remember Debt Cancellation works! Because of debt cancellation: * 5 million more children are in primary school in Uganda * 3,600 new teachers in schools per year in Malawi * 32,000 new classrooms built in Tanzania * Free childhood immunisation available in Mozambique

Debt and Development Coalition Ireland are calling on you to mark World Debt Day by :

Asking your local Dáil candidates:

• Will they support your call on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to hold a public inquiry into WB/IMF loans?
  
  
• Will they recognise the existence of illegitimate debts and call for the cancellation of all illegitimate debts in the next government?
  
  
• Will they sign the parliamentarians declaration on illegitimate debt if the get elected?

> You can find a more information on illegitimate debts here.
> For more information on the parliamentarians declaration Click Here

Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made, and can be overcome by the actions of human beings.

-Nelson Mandela, 2005

Urgent Action Required
Should the Liberian People be forced to repay outstanding debt to the International Monetary Fund(IMF), World Bank and the African Development Bank?

Liberia is a country emerging frrom over twenty-five years of protracted civil conflict. War has devastated the country. Liberians enjoy a life expectancy of just 39-40 years (Ireland 88 years). 80% live below the poverty line (€1 a day) and there is 85% unemployment.

In October 2005, the country held its first democratic elections and Ellen Johnson-Saileaf was elected to power as Africa's first female Head of State. Liberia's President enjoys the popular support of both Liberians and the international community. Her government has stated its commitment to fight poverty and stamp-out corruption.

Several EU Member States are substantial creditors to Liberia
Germany (US$ 232.2 mn), United Kingdom (US$77.4 mn), Italy (US$51mn), Denmark (US$17mn), France (US$16mn) Sweden (US$9mn) and Belgium (US$2.1mn).

One look at the figures reveals that the sums owed by Liberia to Germany and the United Kingdom (UK) are almost entirely of interest and penalties.

Example:
Liberia originally borrowed US$17.9mn from the UK, because of late payments and penalty charges, interest alone amounts to US$58.4mn. Liberia now owes a staggering US$77.4 mn to the UK Government.

Question.
How can EU Governments expect the ordinary Liberian citizen to repay these debt?(especially when the country is only emerging from 25years of conflict and when over 85% of the population are unemployed).

At the moment EU Member States are proposing that Liberia enters the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in order to qualify for debt cancellation. This will see Liberia's debt written-off at the very earliest in 2009 because Liberia must establish a track record of reforms with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.

IT GETS WORSE

Liberia cannot enter the HIPC Iniative process until its substancial arrears (again made up of penalties and interest charges) to the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank are cleared. These stand at US$1.47bn. Liberia is plainly unable to pay, so what is the international community proposing to do?

EU governments (including Ireland!) and the United States are currently negotiating who will provide Liberia with new loans and grants in order to pay-off the substancial US$1.47bn arrears to the IMF and World Bank (institutions that profess to be about fighting poverty). This will allow Liberia to borrow from these institutions again.

This is not good enough. Debt and Development Coalition Ireland argues that the Liberian debt is unpayable, some of it is illegitimate and we join with debt campaigners around the world calling on European Governments, International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Bank and the African Development Bank to recognise the gravity of Liberia's social and economic situation and cancel the debts unconditionally and without delay.

We call on our Irish Ministers, Brian Cowen (Minster for Finance) Dermot Ahern (Minister for Foreign Affairs) and Conor Lenihan (Minster for Development Co-operation and Human Rights) to stand up for the Liberian people by calling on European Union member states, the World Bank and the IMF to cancel Liberia’s debts as a matter of urgency. This is in line with Ireland’s debt policy which supports 100% debt cancellation for the poorest countries in our world.

Don't forget, Ireland as United Nations Peacekeepers are presently serving in Liberia to bring about long term stability and peace to Liberia. This burden of debt could destabalise the country further.

Urgent Action Required
Act now and write to:

Request our ministers to support the Liberian Government’s commitment to rebuild their nation and to fight poverty, through advocating that its EU member state colleagues, the World Bank, and IMF, cancel 100% of Liberia's debts immediately.

MORE ON LIBERIA

Campaigners in Africa and Europe Call for Immediate Debt Cancellation for Liberia click here