Make Poverty History 2005

1
Make Poverty History 2005
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• What did, and did not happen

2
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY 2005
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• UK chair of the G8 and holding presidency of EU
• Trade justice
• Drop the debt
• More and better aid

3
JANUARY / FEBRUARY
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• 600 female clergy march on Downing Street
• led by Dawn French, the Vicar of Dibley
• Nelson Mandela speaks in Trafalgar Square

4
APRIL
2005 The year the government changed its mind
Global Week of Action. Campaigners in 80
countries unite in the call for trade justice In
the UK 25,000 attend the wake up to trade justice
all night vigil in Whitehall
5
JULY
2005 The year the government changed its mind
250,000 campaigners rally in Edinburgh G8 summit
meets in Gleneagles
6
NOVEMBER
2005 The year the government changed its mind
8000 lobby their MPs ahead of WTO
meeting Officially the most effective mass lobby
ever 375 MPs lobbied in one afternoon
7
DECEMBER
2005 The year the government changed its mind
WTO talks in Hong Kong before and during.
8
2005 The year the government changed its mind
9
What you achieved
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• Aid
• 50 billion more for Africa
• Aid levels rising not falling
• But aid is still only 0.36 of national income

10
What you achieved
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• Debt
• 18 countries receive more debt cancellation -
  more to benefit later
• However many countries not included
• No action on illegitimate debt (debt incurred
  as a result of loans to dictators)

11
What you achieved
2005 The year the government changed its mind
Trade You have transformed the perception of
the trade deal we need Alan Johnson Sec of
State for Trade and Industry 24 Nov 2005
12
What you achieved
2005 The year the government changed its mind
Trade Britain has been a whole hearted
supporter of free trade we remain an unashamed
champion of free trade. Tony Blair Prime
minister 1998
13
What you achieved
2005 The year the government changed its mind
Trade 'because of the challenge you posed to us,
the government have said clearly that poor
countries should not be forced into trade
liberalisation.' Gordon Brown 15 April 2005
14
What you achieved
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• Department for International Development
• We will not make our aid conditional on
  specific policy decisions by partner governments,
  or attempt to impose policy choices on them
  (including in sensitive economic areas such as
  privatisation and trade liberalisation.)
• Africa Commission
• Liberalisation must not be forced on Africa
  through trade or aid conditions.
• Labour party manifesto
• We will end the practice of making aid
  conditional on sensitive economic policy choices,
  such as trade liberalisation and privatisation.
• Department of Trade and Industry
• We will not force trade liberalisation on
  developing countries either through trade
  negotiations or aid conditionality.
• G8 Communiqué
• It is up to developing countries themselves and
  their governments to take the lead on
  development. They need to decide, plan and
  sequence their economic policies to fit their own
  development strategies.

15
What you achieved
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• Trade
• we will not force poor countries to liberalise
  through aid or trade agreements
• UK abolishes conditions attached to aid

16
What still needs to be done
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• Trade
• IMF and World Bank continue to attach conditions
  to aid and debt cancellation
• The right words, but no action yet on trade
  agreements

17
2006 time for action
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• Words into action
• Holding companies to account for their actions
  overseas.
• Country specific campaigns to ensure trade
  policies can work for poor people

18
2006 words into action
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• Rules on companies
• Legislation to hold British companies to account
  for their activities overseas.
• Bill before parliament in Spring 2006
• Supported by Tearfund, WDM, Oxfam, Christian
  Aid

19
2006 words into action
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• Solidarity campaigns
• Campaigning with partners for specific proposals
  eg. Senegal, India, Bolivia, Sri Lanka
• Making trade work for poor people

20
Time for action
2005 The year the government changed its mind

• Get involved!
• WDM meeting 8th Feb
• World Vision Stop AIDS campaign
• Oxfam Control Arms Campaign
• Tearfund Micah challenge
• Climate change