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Research

The All Party Group both produces and commissions major pieces of work in the areas of international debt, aid and trade. The group also supplies regular briefings to members on issues of concern and interest.

Reports of the APPG for Debt Aid and Trade

APPG for Debt, Aid and Trade launches Meeting the Millennium Promise

Meeting the Millennium Promise - a new report by the APPG for Debt, Aid and Trade on Innovative Finance for Development

Report Author, Phil Thornton presents his work at the recent launch

Meeting the Millennium Promise is the latest report of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Debt, Aid and Trade. Since early 2007 the All Party Parliamentary Group for Debt, Aid and Trade has been taking evidence from a range of governments, NGOs, financial actors, academics and other stakeholders into possible innovative sources of finance to meet the Millennium Development Goals. The report is now complete and is available for download.

  Click here to read the full Report (pdf version)

  Click here to read the Executive Summary (pdf version)

A pod cast of the event in, kindly recorded by the Institute of Development Studies, can be accessed here (mp3 player required)

The accompanying campaign film, from Stamp Out Poverty can be viewed on the YouTube website by following the links below:

Part I

Part II

[The APPG Debt, Aid and Trade is not responsible for the content of external internet sites]

If Not Now, When? Urgent recommendations on debt cancellation for a strong and prosperous Africa - 2005 Report of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Highly Indebted Poor Countries

The All Party Group, under its previous incarnation as the APPG on Heavily Indebted Poor Countries, produced this major report in 2005 in advance of the G8 Gleneagles Summit.  It was submitted to the Commission for Africa and subsequently had a wide range of policy recommendations adopted.

Amongst those consulted during the debt hearings in 2004/05 were Rt. Hon Gordon Brown MP; Rt. Hon Hilary Benn MP, Mr Donald Kaberuka, (Rwandan Finance Minister) and Professor Jeffrey Sachs, author of the UN Millennium Project Report. The group was also pleased to consult with Christian Adovelande (President, ECOWAS Bank for Investment & Development), Mr Bill Meara, Economic Officer at the US Embassy and policy analysts ranging from Sony Kapoor to Noreena Hertz.

A number of written submissions were put to the group from the Kenyan High Commission; the Nigerian High Commission; African Economic Outlook (AEO) and Economic Development in Africa. It also drew on a number of specialist papers submitted by leading NGOs such as the Jubilee Debt Campaign, Oxfam, World Development Movement, Cafod and ActionAid.

  Click here to see Africa Report (pdf version)

Associate Research

Putting Food First: Securing an adequate response to famine in Niger

In July, the media alerted the international community to the food crisis blighting the poor in Niger. Unfortunately, the crisis is not confined to Niger and is wreaking havoc on the lives of millions of Africans throughout the continent. In a year dedicated to the plight of Africa, the existence of these famines and the inadequacy of donor responses demonstrate that there needs be a fundamental change in the way in food security is approached. Unless the international community and African leaders recognise this need for change, witnessing famine on our TV screens will remain an annual event. More importantly, if Africa is ever to break out of the mire chronic poverty and hunger, food security must become a central feature of development for Africa. This latest paper comes from Graham Banton of The Foreign Policy Centre, who works on the Democracy, Development and Good Governance Programme. 

  Please click here to read the paper (pdf version)

Equitable Trade & Development: The WTO and Beyond

This paper was written by Dr Alan Hudson (Committee Specialist for the International Development Select Committee in the House of Commons and Research Fellow at the Overseas Development Institute).  It makes a very powerful case for pushing towards a fair and equitable international trading system, which is not to be conflated with a simplistic notion of free trade alone. Dr Hudson is writing in this paper in a personal capacity, rather than as a representative of the IDC. He can be contacted at alanhudson@bigfoot.com for any comments you may have on this paper.

  Please Click here to read the paper. (pdf version)  

G8 Responses: A Giant Leap?

In response to the G8 communiqué outlined in Gleneagles, NGO reaction was somewhat mixed. On the one hand, this did constitute a major breakthrough for international development, both in practical and conceptual terms. This was seen in enhanced debt relief packages and a major increase in aid budgets, as well as a raft of measures to strengthen the AU and institution building in Africa. However, NGOs were quick to highlight the enormous amount of work that still needs to be done both to push the policy agenda further and to implement agreements already reached.

  For the Jubilee Debt Campaign response please click here

  For the Oxfam response click here 

In the Balance, Why Debts must be Cancelled Now to reach the Millennium Development Goals

A joint briefing paper from Jubilee Debt Campaign, ActionAid UK and Christian Aid was produced for World Debt Day 2005. This timely and groundbreaking research uses the Millennium Development Goals as the critical prism through which we must view any debt deals that are struck. If the MDGs are indeed the standard bearer for measuring real progress, then the paper highlights the following truths:

·         Debts must be cancelled as a matter of justice: creditors must accept their share of responsibility in creating the current debt crisis, and cancel debts on this basis.

·         Cancellation must be available to all countries that need it: analysis of the financing required to meet the Millennium Development Goals indicates that at least 62 poor countries need 100% debt cancellation now.

·         There should be accountability but not economic policy conditions: the governments of indebted countries must demonstrate to their citizens that they are spending money well and accountably. But this must not be used as an excuse to impose economic policy conditions.

·         All unpayable debts must be cancelled: this must include all multilateral, bilateral and commercial debts.

·         Debts must be cancelled in full: debt service cancellation for a limited period is not enough. Debts must be completely written off.

·         Debt relief must provide additional resources for poverty reduction: if debt cancellation is to make a difference to the poorest people in the world, it must release extra funds and not be paid for by taking money out of aid budgets. For all 62 countries, this will require $45.7bn per year.

  To read the full report, click here

Tackle Malaria Today: A call to the international community

The All Party Group for Malaria recently produced a groundbreaking report on the endemic issue of Malaria and its synergy with global poverty. They have kindly let us display their work on our website as a key concern for realising the Millennium Development Goals.

The report outlines that Britain’s proposals for an international initiative to build a strong and prosperous Africa are doomed to struggle unless they tackle the continent’s burden of malaria. The United Kingdom, in its presidencies of the G8 and the European Union, must take the lead in securing long-term commitment to a scaled-up global effort to fight malaria. This investment will also produce excellent returns in terms of health and economic benefits, as malaria control is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions known.

  Click here to read the Malaria Report (pdf version)

Past Campaigning and Policy Impact

International Parliamentarians Petition 2004/05

The All Party Group played an integral role in launching the International Parliamentarians’ Petition campaign in Westminster last year calling for the enhancement of democratic oversights of the World Bank and IMF policies. To date, the petition has received over 1,000 signatures from parliamentarians in over 50 countries around the world – largely through the efforts of the All Party Group in coordinating this global campaign. Critical to this, has been the 295 signatures achieved in the UK Parliament directly achieved through the All Party Group in collaboration and dialogue with civil society stakeholders.

At the World Bank and IMF spring meetings held in Washington DC 2005, the All Party Group helped bring together eight parliamentarians from Northern and Southern countries – Hon Jakoyo Midiwo (Kenya); Hon Dradjad Wibowo (Indonesia); Hon Ivan Valente (Brazil); Hon Mario Cafiero (Argentina); Hon Austin Mtukula (Malawi); Hon Ted Kalebe (Malawi); Tony Worthington MP (UK); Senator Francesco Martone (Italy) – presented the petition to Mr. Ian Goldin, World Bank Vice-President for External Affairs and Mr. Tom Dawson, Vice-President for External Affairs at the International Monetary Fund. The All Party Group provided the crucial link between NGOs, Parliament and the International Financial Institutions to make the launch credible and effective.

The All Party Group also contacted Executive Directors of the UK, Germany, Netherlands and Latin American representatives on the World Bank board, to meet the delegation of international parliamentarians in Washington. This gave them nearly unprecedented access to discuss issues of democratic oversight of the World Bank and IMF.

The All Party Group also coordinated with NGOs to arrange the visit of international parliamentarians to the US Congress to speak with representatives of Progressive Caucus on issues of democratic accountability of IFIs. 

The group is currently spearheading the international coordination of the IPP to retain a high-profile within the UK Parliament through senior-level meetings and Parliamentary Questions, as well as arranging meetings between MPs/NGOs and the UK Treasury to seek further collaboration in this global initiative. On this note, the All Party Group has recently facilitated further progress in Malawi and Ghana.

Initiating the campaign in Parliament for Nigerian and Ethiopian Debt Relief ‘Top-Up’

The All Party Group fully supported the campaign for debt relief for Nigeria and Ethiopia in March 2004 to receive additional ‘top up’ after reaching what is known as HIPC competition point status. Without this, their debt burdens would have remained unsustainable and detrimental to millions of citizens.

The APPG devised, initiated, and executed a widespread campaign in the UK Parliament to raise awareness of the issue. This including drawing up an Early Day Motion, signed by almost 150 MPs, demanding that the Government bring pressure on Ethiopia's creditors to stop delaying the country's debt relief. The group also then persuaded around 120 MPs and Peer to write to the US, German and Japanese embassies to affect a positive outcome, as the principle creditors preventing further progress. 

The group also orchestrated a public meeting with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt. Hon Gordon Brown to raise further awareness and place additional pressure on these key states not to veto the additional relief needed for Nigeria and Ethiopia.

The meeting generated a great deal of fresh interest among parliamentarians and the public in the whole issue of poor country debt, and emphasised yet again how important it is to address this question in all debates about sustainable development.

Supporting the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign

Other key areas of work has included  supporting the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign in Parliament and successfully pressing the UK government to commit to a timetable for providing 0.7% of GNI in working towards the UN Millennium Development Goals. 

The group has also providing a useful service in sending out press briefings, policy responses and latest articles from the NGOs to MPs and Peers.