The Jubilee Blog

African Activists Unite at Jubilee South Assembly

Report from Africa Jubilee South Assembly, Day 1.

By NEIL WATKINS, National Coordinator, Jubilee USA Network

August 6, 2008

I am writing today from the opening day of the Africa Jubilee South Assembly, being held in Nairobi, Kenya. It’s an historic gathering of African debt and development campaigners from more than 20 African countries.

It’s happening in a very appropriate place for a discussion of the continuing debt crisis - Kenya. Kenya has been excluded from debt cancellation deals to date despite the fact that 22.8 percent of the Kenyan population lives on less than $1 a day and 58.3 percent live on less than $2 per day.  The government spends 1 of every $5 in its budget servicing debt – more than it spends on health or education.

The meeting is also taking place at a critical time for the whole African continent.  Even for the 19 African nations that have received debt cancellation – including Kenya’s neighbors in East Africa, Tanzania and Uganda – a new debt crisis is emerging.  That debt crisis is being fueled by the dramatic increase in food and fuel prices.

I spoke with a taxi driver here in Nairobi who explained to me that the cost of fuel here has gone up 30% in just the past 6 months – which he cant afford. That increase is hard enough for Americans – it’s untenable for Kenyans. Even worse, the price of food is skyrocketing here.

Protection against Predators: Congress Clips the Wings of Vulture Funds

Leaders in Financial Services, Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees Introduce H.R. 6796
August 1, 2008

Press release from Friday night when Representative Maxine Waters (CA) introduced the Stop VULTURE FUNDS Act, an important step in the fight to end greedy and corrupt business practices that take advantage of the world's poor.

WASHINGTON –  Today, African advocacy organizations and debt relief campaigners welcomed the introduction of a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to prevent so-called Vulture Funds from making excessive profits off the debts of the world’s poorest nations. Vulture Funds purchase the defaulted debts of Heavily Indebted Poor Countries at much reduced prices and then litigate against the debtor for greatly inflated sums. Through the seizure of assets, litigation and political pressure, they seek repayments that are far in excess of the amount that they paid for the debt.

Calling Student Leaders: Mobilizing & Engaging Communities for Global Health Conference

This conference sponsored by Americans for Informed Democracy will give student leaders the knowledge and the tools to be effective campus organizers and advocates on global health issues. Attendees will receive background on how the U.S. works with the international community to protect children's health and to reduce the death toll of tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. We will also address the link between reproductive rights and maternal and child health, as well the global issues surrounding access to clean water. We will focus on providing attendees with tactics they can use to take action on these issues in order to make change locally and globally. The result will be informed, inspired young people that can work to mobilize and lead their communities to ensure global health issues are given greater attention in the national and international debate.

To register click here
Date: Sunday, August 24th 2008
Location: Rm. 307,   Marvin Center at George Washington University, Washington D.C.
For more information click here
Or email [email protected]
And Visit AID's website

 

Do IMF Policies Make You Sick?

High Tuberculosis Rates Linked to IMF Loan Programs

By HAYLEY HATHAWAY, Jubilee USA, August 1, 2008

This week I have been following a back-and-forth battle between the International Monetary Fund and the authors of a recent study which found that out of 21 post-communist countries, countries with IMF loan programs had a 16.6% increase in Tuberculosis mortality. The IMF is working hard to discredit the study, which hits them where it hurts - the institution’s philosophy that economic stability (at the expense of public services) will lead to poverty reduction has never turned into successful policy and instead is making people sick. This study confirms what debt campaigners have been saying for many years: “Cut the strings! End harmful conditions!” Writes author Sanjay Basu, M.D: "Soon after the countries entered the IMF programs, there was a significant rise in tuberculosis cases and deaths. The rates were stable or improving beforehand. When countries left the IMF programs, their rates of tuberculosis significantly improved.” The IMF has swiftly responded to the study, calling the information “phony science,” though if you dig a bit deeper into the IMF’s criticisms and the authors’ responses, it is easy to see that the IMF has more than just its own budget crisis to worry about.