|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 > What is External Debt? > Consequences > Beyond Debt Cancellation dimarts, 4 d'octubre de 2005
In their respective annual assemblies held this September, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank took the commitment to cancel the external debt of some of the world's poorest countries. This was how two of the most influential financial institutions in the world gave the go-ahead for the proposal made last July by the G-8, the group made up of the world's seven most industrialised nations and Russia.
It is thought that the move will affect around forty countries, although at first only eighteen will benefit from it, most of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. The total debt to be written off amounts to fifty five billion dollars. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are two of the main creditors of underdeveloped and developing countries: both of them grant loans to poor countries. The IMF and the World Bank see the move as a step forward in the fight against hunger in the world, but some believe that it is not enough, because it doesn't reach all poor countries. Moreover, some organisations criticise the measures arguing that they will force the nations that will supposedly benefit to apply neo-liberal economic policies that will harm the majority of the population.
 
What is External Debt?)
+ External Debt has continued to grow in recent decades.
We use the term 'external debt' for the money that Third World countries have to pay to rich countries, to international financial institutions and to banks because of the impossibility of repaying the loans granted to the governments of these countries, in the past and still today. This debt has continued to grow in recent decades, partly because of the increased interest (which obviously makes it more difficult to repay the money in the agreed timeframe) and because of the need to apply for new loans in order to pay off the earlier ones.
Consequences)
+ Indebted countries have not enough money to meet the basic needs of the population.
So we find ourselves in something of a bottomless pit, with terrible consequences for the indebted countries. And obviously, because these countries have to pay off a huge debt, there is not enough money to meet the basic needs of the population, such as food, health and education. Furthermore, in some cases, the money is monopolised by a tiny group of privileged individuals. The result of all this is a drop in the standard of living of the majority of the population.
Beyond Debt Cancellation)
+ World hunger map.
However, to effectively combat poverty, pardoning the debt, although very necessary, must go together with further measures. For example, the West has to allow poorer countries to compete in equal conditions, bringing down the customs duty barriers that currently make trade equality an impossibility. Because if there is no strong commitment from the wealthy nations, it will not be possible to attain the Millennium Development Goals, one of which is to cut by half the percentage of people suffering hunger by 2015. At the end of the day, what it's all about is that so-called globalisation must stop only benefiting a minority and reach every corner of the planet.
|
MATERIALS
QUE HO SABIES?
BANNER ACTUALITZATVols el banner de l'última notícia a la teva web? Copia aquest codi i enganxa-l'hi: <a href="http://www.vilaweb.cat CERCADOR DEL DIARI DE L'ESCOLAESCOLES EN XARXA
|
Investiga
> La decisió recent de condonar el deute extern, segons el Banc Mundial.
> La valoració que fa d'aquesta decisió l'Observatori del Deute en la Globalització.
I també...
- És bo o és dolent, endeutar-se?
- Perfil de Paul Wolfowitz, president del Banc Mundial.
- Una guia del deute extern.
- Apunt sobre l'anomenat deute ecològic.
- Fitxa del Fons Monetari Internacional.
- Preguntes i respostes sobre la cancel·lació del deute.
- Mapa interactiu de la fam al món.
Portada |
Europa Press |
El Punt |
La premsa |
Especials |
Diari de l'escola |
LesFinances.info |
Editorials |
Mail obert |
Els blocs |
Lletres
Tecnologia i ciència | Solidaritat | Cap de 7mana | Campus | El 9 | Presència | Fòrums | Enquestes | Xat | Correu
Traductor | Edicions en Pdf | Wap-pda | Biblioteca | Lletra més grossa
Tecnologia i ciència | Solidaritat | Cap de 7mana | Campus | El 9 | Presència | Fòrums | Enquestes | Xat | Correu
Traductor | Edicions en Pdf | Wap-pda | Biblioteca | Lletra més grossa
| Què és VilaWeb? Publicitat Mapa web Contacte | Una web de Partal, Maresma i Associats, S.L. |  |