Below are some developments from the world of global debt over the past few months. The Scottish Government launched its White Paper ‘Scotland’s Future’ on the 26th November. In this, debt relief is highlighted as a priority for international development, with the statement: “The Scottish Government will give careful consideration to the question of ‘unjust’ […]
Guatemala: a study in human rights abuses
On International Human Rights day, Jubilee Scotland examines the role of debt and international financial institutions on the people of Guatemala, and questions the role Scotland could play in global development. By Charlotte Snelling. For much of the post-war period, Guatemala’s past has been a story of dictatorships, terror, and genocidal regimes. It is estimated […]
Finance and Human Rights
James Picardo, Campaign Director at Jubilee Scotland, spoke as part of the ‘Global Challenges’ series of events hosted by Edinburgh University. Here is what he said: Economics on the one hand, and justice and human rights issues on the other hand, are often discussed as separate phenomena; as ways of looking at the world that […]
When creditors and debtors meet
On October 5th, Jubilee Scotland hosted a People’s Debt Tribunal at the Scottish Parliament, which saw Lidy Nacpil, representing Freedom from Debt Coalition Philippines and Jubilee South make the case for the cancellation of debt owed by the Philippines to the World Bank. Here an attendee of the Tribunal shares her thoughts. ‘Debt cancellation is […]
External debt audits and fair and transparent arbitration – the case of Ecuador
On the 15th of December 2008 Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa took the unprecedented step of declaring that Ecuador would stop paying interest on commercial bonds owed by the government on the basis that they were ‘obviously immoral and illegitimate’. The decision came as a result of a comprehensive debt audit for which Ecuadorian civil society […]
Malawi’s debt relief enigma
What was the value of Malawi’s debt cancellation (received in September 2006)? If Malawi had received its debt relief with no hidden reductions and cuts, it would have had $101 million extra per annum free in its budget (the UK, in comparison, gave $180 million in 2006: SID, table 16.2). What it has really had […]
Jubilee Scotland and Jubilee Debt Campaign meet the ECGD
Kusfiardi’s last engagement was on Thursday the 5th of June, when we went with our colleague Sarah Williams from Jubilee Debt Campaign to meet officials from the Export Credit Guarantee Department, the UK government department who ensured – and are currently collecting repayments for – the bad loans that are the focus of our campaign. […]
The European Investment Bank by Cornelia Trogmann
Previously we examined the role of the Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD) and its role as the major UK government debt generator. Cornelia Trogmann here turns the spotlight on another lender funded by the UK government. The European Investment Bank (EIB) The European Investment Bank was established in 1958 as the long-term lending institution of […]
Economical with food for thought
This week’s Economist says something puzzling: The middling poor, those on $2 a day, are pulling children from school and cutting back on vegetables so they can still afford rice. Those on $1 a day are cutting back on meat, vegetables and one or two meals, so they can afford one bowl. The desperate—those on […]