MPH 2005

Slide1: 

DROP THE DEBT.TRADE JUSTICE. MORE & BETTER AID. 2005: time to make a difference If not now, when?

The problem - poverty: 

The problem - poverty

The problem - poverty: 

The problem - poverty 1 billion people live in extreme poverty 1 in 6 in the world 1.2 billion people don’t have clean water 30,000 people die every day from infectious diseases 125 million children can’t go to school

Millennium Development Goals: 

Millennium Development Goals Halve poverty by 2015 Halve Infant Mortality by 2015 Universal primary education (incl girls)

Barriers to escaping poverty: 

Barriers to escaping poverty Debt burden Trade barriers Inadequate aid Corruption and poor governance

What would it cost: 

What would it cost An extra $50bn/year Arms expenditure is $900bn /year

Drop the Debt: 

Drop the Debt

The Debt Burden: 

The Debt Burden Jubilee 2000 52 countries

1998 –HIPC initiative: 

1998 –HIPC initiative G8 Promised:- Cancel un-payable debt -$100bn For 42 countries Once they agreed plans to use the money for poverty reduction.

The Debt Burden: 

The Debt Burden

Debt Sustainability: 

Debt Sustainability Leave debt burden as high as possible Impose conditions Reduce social investment Open markets Privatisation Did not allow for collapse in commodity prices (e.g. coffee)

Debt Payments (Africa): 

Debt Payments (Africa)

Achievements: 

Achievements Benin, 54% on health Tanzania, - abolish primary school fees 66% increase in attendance. Mozambique all children free immunisation. Uganda, 2.2 million people access to clean water.

100% Debt Cancellation: 

100% Debt Cancellation Poverty reduction before debt payments No Conditions Fair & transparent arbitration

All poor countries: 

All poor countries Nigeria Bangladesh Indonesia

Wipe Out Debt: 

Wipe Out Debt

World Debt Day – May 16th: 

World Debt Day – May 16th

The solution – Trade Justice : 

The solution – Trade Justice

WTO –World Trade Organisation: 

WTO –World Trade Organisation Sets the rules for International trade Objective is FREE trade, no barriers One member One vote –unanimous decisions 152 countries Controlled by the big trading blocks USA, EU, Japan

Subsidies: 

Subsidies WTO rules ban subsidies, Except! 23 exceptions for rich countries Agriculture Sugar Milk Rice Cotton etc

EU - Sugar: 

EU - Sugar 5 million tons surplus 20% of world traded sugar dumped on world markets Drops the price over 20% Result – ruin for farmers in poor countries Mozambique South Africa

Tariff Escalation: 

Tariff Escalation Chocolate! No tariff on cocoa beans High tariff on processed chocolates (18%) All the added value is in Europe All Sierra Leone gets is 2% for the beans!

Lost Opportunity: 

Lost Opportunity UN estimates Unfair trade rules rob poor countries of $2bn every day For every £1 in aid, Africa loses £14 in trade restrictions!

Doha round: 

Doha round Development round! Promised to stop export dumping Promised to meet the demands of developing countries Stuck/blocked because EU/USA won’t stop subsidies Cancun talks abandoned Hong Kong later 2005

TRIPS –Intellectual property Rights(Trade Related Intellectual property Rights): 

TRIPS –Intellectual property Rights (Trade Related Intellectual property Rights) Used to block cheap drugs for AIDs –today, and new drugs in the future Used to patent rice! Used to patent herbal medicines/chemicals!

GATS –General Agreement on Trade in Services: 

GATS –General Agreement on Trade in Services Blocks any restrictions to trade Bars constraints for planning or environmental reasons Prevents support to local business Potential to force public services to be privatised

Trade Justice Movement: 

Trade Justice Movement Mass lobby Parliament 2002 Weigh In for Trade Justice 2003 Vote For Trade Justice 2004/5

Trade Justice: 

Trade Justice I believe that everyone has a right to feed their families, make a decent living and protect the planet. I believe that to end poverty and protect the environment we need trade justice not free trade.

Global Week of Action: 

Collect votes for Trade Justice Monday food Tuesday Livelihoods Wednesday Water Thursday Heath Friday Education Global Week of Action

April 15th-all night!: 

April 15th-all night! All night vigil in Trafalgar Square candlelight March on Downing St in the morning Stalls, singing, campaigning Manchester Coaches

The solution – More & Better Aid: 

The solution – More & Better Aid

Aid – in the past: 

Aid – in the past Marshall Plan – American aid to help Europe recover from the war 1950’s Aid to developing countries 1970 UN sets 0.7% of GNI target for Aid ‘Loans’ of oil money leading to debt crisis After Cold War (1989) Aid actually fell!

Fall in Aid: 

Fall in Aid

Aid ?: 

Aid ? Aid for countries that supported West Aid, to buy goods & services from donor countries Aid for Arms Aid to Guarantee commercial loans for donor country companies Is that really aid?

Are you with us?: 

Are you with us? Are you standing with us against terrorism? If not don’t look for any aid! New big recipients are Pakistan Afghanistan Iraq

Aid to whom?: 

Aid to whom? Top 10 Congo China India Indonesia Pakistan Serbia & M Egypt Mozambique Afghanistan Russia

Rich get richer, poor get less!: 

Rich get richer, poor get less!

Who gives the aid?: 

Who gives the aid?

Who meets the target?: 

Who meets the target?

We want – More Aid: 

We want – More Aid All donors must:  Commit the aid to meet the Millennium Development Goals At least $50bn/year more Set a binding timetable to meet 0.7% of GNI As additional aid Not including debt relief, military intervention etc

Better Aid: 

Better Aid All donors must ensure that: Aid is focused on the poorest people. Aid supports policies defined and fully owned by the recipient countries. No conditions, such as trade liberalisation, deregulation, fiscal austerity and privatisation, are ended. Aid is fully untied, including technical assistance and food aid.  Aid is reliable and predictable.

We can afford it!: 

We can afford it! $50bn a year is less than half what the UK spends on the NHS $50bn a year is 5% of what is spent on arms Aid would still only be 0.5% of GNI

The solution – More & Better Aid: 

The solution – More & Better Aid

Slide44: 

Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural Together lets make poverty History

Campaigning makes a difference!: 

Campaigning makes a difference! Debt. 25 million signatures Each worth $,4,000! Trade- stopped new rules on investment promised to end export dumping Doha round is called development round Aid promises of 0.7% (by 2013)

What do we Want!: 

What do we Want! Drop the Debt Trade Justice More and better aid

What will it look like?: 

What will it look like? Live Aid PLUS… Comic Relief PLUS… Jubilee 2000 PLUS… End of Apartheid PLUS…

Individual action: 

Individual action send in the postcards

Community Groups : 

Community Groups

Decision makers : 

Decision makers

Faith Groups: 

Faith Groups Prayers & Vigils Worship Guide from Ecumenical Alliance Tearfund –Global Action CD Christian Aid –GWA prayers Wrap your church in a white ribbon Take the message into your community Come to Edinburgh

From Birmingham to Edinburgh: 

From Birmingham to Edinburgh

Motiv8 4G8: 

Motiv8 4G8 Manchester 9th April Conference on going to Edinburgh Guest speaker: Tony Robinson, actor and presenter Transport and logistics

Key dates: 

Key dates Comic Relief Day - 11 March Global Week of Action for Trade Justice April 10-16 Wake up to Trade Justice April 15th World Debt Day May 16th World White Band Day – 1 July Edinburgh MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY July 2nd G8 in Scotland 6 – 8 July World White Band Day II – 13 September WTO Ministerial in December

Around the world : 

Around the world The Global Call to Action Against Poverty www.whiteband.org

Slide56: 

“We are the first generation that can look extreme and stupid poverty in the eye …  we have the cash, we have the drugs, we have the science -- but Do we have the will to make poverty history? Some say we can't afford to.  I say we can't afford not to.” Bono, Labour Party Conference 2004

Slide57: 

If not now WHEN? If not us WHO? If not Together HOW? Gordon Brown 2004

MAKE POVERTY HISTORY: 

MAKE POVERTY HISTORY MAKE HISTORY 2005 POVERTY MAKE HISTORY MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY POVERTY MAKE HISTORY

Blank-end: 

Blank-end

 Drop the Debt: 

Drop the Debt

Workplace groups: 

Workplace groups