Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-17-Speech-3-153"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2000-05-17"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Poor countries’ debt2
dcterms:Language	"fr"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20000517.9.3-153"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2000-05-17-Speech-3-1542
lpv:speaker	lp:Didier Rod2
lpv:spokenAs	member; Committee on Development and Cooperation (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Les Verts-Europe-Ecologie (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; G/EFA (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) (1999-09-14--2002-01-14)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, hearing the other speakers, I note that we all agree on the facts. The harsh and tragic figures are there for all to see. The 50 poorest countries spend twice what they receive in aid in order to pay off their debt. An average of 40% of the budget of poor countries is dedicated to debt payments. Not only does that undermine their economic development, not only does that significantly reduce their ability to provide basic social services, such as health or education, but it creates a sort of slavery which benefits Western societies. In fact two thirds of the debt is generated by interest on earlier loans, loans taken out to pay for the things we sold them, which multinationals sold them. This is highly reminiscent of the exploitation of agricultural workers in some countries who are forced to buy from the boss’s shop at inflated prices and who are then forced to work for the rest of their lives for scant wages in order to pay off their debts to this shop. What action are we taking to prevent this? The G7 countries announced amid much publicity a debt reduction programme, but conditions are such that it cannot be applied. This initiative remains subject to macroeconomic reform programmes under the aegis of the IMF or the World Bank, which run counter to the objectives of eradicating poverty, due to their restrictive effect on the ability to spend on social services and job creation. Some major countries have announced that they are going to cancel debts, but this is selective, linked to the interests of certain parties, and is achieved to the detriment of development budgets. The indebted countries were expecting a strong message from the Conference between the European Union and Africa held in Cairo recently. They were given plenty of fine words, but no practical action. What initiatives do the Commission and the Council propose to take at European or international level in order to further relieve or cancel the burden of debt in order to aid the poorest countries? How does the Commission plan to ensure that the appropriations made available by cancelling the debt are properly invested in eradicating poverty and in sustainable development? Finally, what is the Commission’s reaction to the requests presented by some civil society organisations in the countries of the south for improvements in monitoring the macroeconomic adaptation plan, by organising conferences on national development, in order to give public opinion in these countries an opportunity to define national priorities and projects?"@en1

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