23 June 2000 : news summary:

Inter. Organisations, Agencies & Partnerships

‘Strains’ in bank’s inclusive model‘, FT, 16/6/00
~ World Bank row over market liberalisation reflects its difficulty in attaining Wolfensohn’s vision of an inclusive bank.

‘IMF/World Bank junk SAPs: Revolution or PR exercise‘, BN, Issue no. 25
~ Article examines the IMF and World Bank’s replacement of Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs) with Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs).

‘Banking for the world’s poor‘, FT, 21/6/00
~ Article examines why the World Bank must place market-orientated growth at the "heart of it’s strategy for elimination of mass poverty".

Economic Development

‘Kenya budget aims to ease economic crisis‘, FT, 16/6/00
~ Kenya has raised its VAT by 3% in an ambitious budget aimed at easing its critical economic situation and attracting international donors.

‘Fiji faces economic crisis‘, G, 20/6/00
~ Recent events are affecting tourist numbers and failed sugar cane crops are hitting Fiji’s economy hard.

‘Inequality in Latin America worsens‘, TWNF, May 2000
~ A report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean indicates that social inequality in the region is widening.

‘Step forward, Africa’s lions‘, FT, 21/6/00
~ Peter Hain talks of how Africa could replicate the success of the Asian tigers if it follows some of their examples and gets the help it needs from the West.

‘World sees ‘sharp rise’ in child poverty‘, FT, 21/6/00
~ The breakdown of the conventional family, unemployment and increasing income disparity are the contributing factors towards a sharp rise in child poverty in the last 4 decades according to the new ILO report.
Also: ‘Big growth in world poverty‘, DT, 21/6/00
~ According to the International Labour Organisation’s annual report a quarter of the world’s population live on less than $1 per day.

Aid & Debt

‘US$250 million needed for agricultural recovery…‘, UNDP Press, 16/6/00
~ North Korea has appealed to donor governments for $250m to aid an increase in agricultural production and to rehabilitate regions affected by heavy flooding over the past 5 years.

‘Haiti in life and debt struggle‘, G, 17/6/00
~ Report on Haiti, an island drowning in debt repayments, a large percentage of which incurred by former dictator Duvalier, yet not eligible for debt cancellation.

‘Blair to push for an end to tied aid‘, INDoS, 18/6/00
~ Blair is pushing for Japan and France to agree to the proposal to end the practice of tied aid before the G8 summit next month.
Also: ‘Tied aid plan at risk‘, FT, 19/6/00
~ Objections from Japan, France and Denmark may lead to a watered down version of the planned accord to abolish tied aid.

‘Rejected GM food dumped on the poor‘, INDoS, 18/6/00
~ The US and UN are sending GM food, rejected by European consumers, to developing countries in a bid to protect farmers already committed to producing GM crops.

‘Nigerian chance‘, FT, 19/6/00
~ The new democratic regime in Nigeria deserves a chance and should receive debt relief.

‘Anger over Cook plan to give £1bn European aid…‘, IND, 20/6/00
~ Human right campaigners are outraged by plans to give £1bn EU aid to Colombian army.

Health

‘Abortion ship to defy protests‘, G, 16/6/00
~ A Dutch ship is to sail to countries where abortion is illegal (i.e., most of Africa and large proportions of Asia) and perform operations in international waters.

‘New Aids plan in South Africa‘, G, 20/6/00
~ S. Africa has launched a 5-year programme to combat its Aids crisis.

‘Will the tobacco treaty have any bite?‘, TWNF, June 2000
~ Several international NGOs have expressed concern that the proposed tobacco treaty will lack ‘biting obligations’.

‘World Health Report 2000: Health Systems; Improving Performance‘, WHO, 21/6/00
~ The World Health Organisation conducts a report assessing the world’s health systems.

Government

‘Conflict diamonds‘, STel, 18/6/00
~ Bill Jamieson attacks the governments pressure over ‘conflict diamonds’ as an attempt to rescue the credibility of its "ethical" foreign policy saying it could endanger legitimate trade.
Also: ‘Saving the sparkle‘, MoS, 18/6/00
Also: ‘Report urges diamond ‘chain of custody", FT, 20/6/00
~ The NGO Global Witness has called for a ‘product audit trail’ for diamonds.

‘World’s poor must be at the heart of policy‘, G, 19/6/00
~ The Guardian looks at some causes of poverty and how the government could improve or incorporate policies to attempt to alleviate the areas highlighted.

Business, Trade & Development

‘Head of WTO hits out at Seattle rioters…‘, IND, 17/6/00
~ Mike Moore refutes protestors at the ‘battle of Seattle’ claiming that a new report shows that trade reduces poverty.
Also: ‘The WTO is a friend of the poor‘, FT, 19/6/00
~ WTO report claims free trade is an essential part of economic growth.
Also: ‘Study shows freer trade helps poor countries‘, FT, 20/6/00

‘Consultants on a mission to secure new contracts…‘, Tomorrow’s Trade, Issue 4, pp3-4
~ How UK consultancy firms working abroad need to secure contracts that emphasize sustainability.

‘Add value, go global‘, Insights, June 2000
~ Explores the obstacles and opportunities facing Southern exporters as a consequence of trade liberalisation.

‘Backing the tourist industry in Africa‘, Insights, June 2000
~ Looks at preconceptions about the tourist industry in Africa.

‘Pioneering trade scheme ‘riddled with problems‘, FT, 21/6/00
~ A scheme aimed at helping developing countries benefit from international trade has proved largely ineffectual.

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