Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-17-Speech-3-164"

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	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20000517.9.3-164"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2000-05-17-Speech-3-1652
lpv:speaker	lp:Johan Van Hecke2
lpv:spokenAs	vice-chair; 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 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Christelijke Volkspartij (1999-07-20--2001-09-30)3 member; EPP-ED (1999-07-20--2002-09-17)3 substitute; Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, it is commendable that the international community is apparently serious about reducing debt. Unfortunately, this inspired policy comes too late, far too late. As early as the late eighties, UNICEF stated that the rich obtained the loans in the Third World and the poor were saddled with the debts, and UNICEF was right. According to Oxfam, there are 19 000 children who die daily in the developing countries as a result of the debt burden and as an indirect result, admittedly, of the IMF programmes which require certain countries to cut down their health care expenditure by one third. Is it not mind-boggling that countries sometimes have to spend up to 40% of their budget on paying off debts, which have often been accumulated by irresponsible and avaricious dictators, with the unspoken collaboration of the World Bank and private western banks? Let us learn from past experience. I am in favour of debt reduction but not on a level repayment or unconditional basis. It should feature as part of an integrated and multi-lateral strategy. It must be accompanied by proper management requirements. These requirements must be followed by hard guarantees from the countries involved: guarantees that the funding made available by cancelling debts is used to fight poverty; guarantees that the funding will no longer be used to finance arms deals and other military activities. Mr Da Costa, that is not neo-colonialism in my book. It is making sure that the funds of the European taxpayer are not misused to fund wars – crazy wars – in Africa. Conditionality requires courage and – you will have to forgive me – more courage than the Member States and the Commission have displayed so far."@en1

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