Upcoming Events

International | Miscellaneous

no events match your query!

New Events

International

no events posted in last week

Blog Feeds

The Saker
A bird's eye view of the vineyard

offsite link Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb

offsite link The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.? We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).?

offsite link What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are

offsite link Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of

offsite link The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by

The Saker >>

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link What Fresh Hell is This? The Climate and Nature Bill Mon Dec 23, 2024 09:00 | Paul Homewood
If you thought eco zealot Ed Miliband was bad, wait until you get a load of the Climate Change and Nature Bill, which seeks to turbocharge the Net Zero agenda and already has the support of 192 MPs. Paul Homewood has the skinny.
The post What Fresh Hell is This? The Climate and Nature Bill appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link The Daily Sceptic Christmas Appeal Mon Dec 23, 2024 07:00 | Toby Young
The Daily Sceptic's Christmas Appeal launches today ? an opportunity for readers to show their appreciation of the work we do. Remember, donating just ?5/month or ?50/year will give you access to a range of premium perks.
The post The Daily Sceptic Christmas Appeal appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link News Round-Up Mon Dec 23, 2024 01:12 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Staff at ?100 Million Alan Turing Institute Attack ?Chaotic? Management Amid Diversity Row Sun Dec 22, 2024 19:00 | Richard Eldred
Staff at the ?100 million Alan Turing Institute have erupted in protest over a diversity row, accusing leadership of "tokenistic" hiring and sparking fears that the organisation's credibility is at risk.
The post Staff at ?100 Million Alan Turing Institute Attack ?Chaotic? Management Amid Diversity Row appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link ?Our Irish Leaders Have Contributed to Hatred Against Jews? Sun Dec 22, 2024 17:00 | Richard Eldred
Ireland's Chief Rabbi has blasted the country's leaders for fuelling antisemitism, leaving Jewish children hiding their identities and many others afraid to wear symbols of their faith.
The post ?Our Irish Leaders Have Contributed to Hatred Against Jews? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

Aftershocks Pummel Highly Indebted Nepal

category international | miscellaneous | news report author Monday April 27, 2015 16:46author by Sophia Har - Jubilee USA Network Report this post to the editors

Poor Country Spends 217 Million Annually on Debt Payments

As Nepal experiences aftershocks from Saturday's earthquake, it may find relief in the IMF's Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust, a fund that cancels the debt of poor countries in crisis.

Severe aftershocks continue to terrorize Nepal which was struck by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday. The rising death toll climbed beyond 3,000 people. Nepal is one of the least developed countries in the world, ranking 145th out of 187 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index. According to the World Bank, Nepal owes $3.8 billion in debt to foreign lenders and spent $217 million repaying debt in 2013. Nepal owes approximately $1.5 billion each to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and $54 million to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It owes $133 million to Japan and $101 million to China.

“Nepal is one of the least developed countries in the world and needs immediate financing to recover,” said Eric LeCompte, executive director of the religious development coalition, Jubilee USA Network. "Relieving Nepal's debts not only provides resources now, but can also help the country rebuild."

Nepal is one of 38 countries eligible for assistance from the IMF's new Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCR). The IMF created the CCR in February to provide debt relief to poor countries impacted by natural disasters or health crises. The new fund canceled nearly $100 million in debt for Ebola-impacted countries. In order to qualify for relief from the new fund after a natural disaster, a country must meet certain criteria. The disaster must destroy more than 25% of the country's "productive capacity," impact one third of its people or cause damage greater than the size of the country's economy. It is not yet known if Nepal will qualify. Of the $54 million Nepal owes the IMF, $10 million is due in 2015 and nearly $13 million is due in 2016.

"This new IMF fund can provide urgent relief as Nepal struggles to recover," noted LeCompte, who serves on expert groups to the United Nations that focus on debt. "Given the amount Nepal owes to the World Bank, we really need the Bank to take leadership and cancel debt. It's time for the World Bank to release its own plans for a crisis rapid response facility."

The World Bank is working on a new facility to respond quickly to disasters but has yet to publicly release any details. The IMF asked governments to fund its new trust for future crises. The United Kingdom and Germany recently pledged $72 million in contributions. During the Spring IMF meetings, Austria, Portugal and Mexico also announced they would contribute $16 million more.

"Debt relief can help Nepal," said LeCompte. "The earthquake shows how debts keep poor countries ill prepared for crisis."

In 2010, Jubilee USA moved the IMF to cancel Haiti's debt after its earthquake and to create a new debt relief fund for countries struck by disasters. Last Fall, Jubilee USA worked with the White House to urge the IMF to use that fund to cancel debt for Ebola-impacted Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. In February, the IMF revised the previous debt relief fund and expanded it to include countries impacted by health crises. It then announced $100 million in debt relief for the three West African countries and called on governments to cancel $70 million more in Ebola-affected country debt.

Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of more than 75 US organizations and 400 faith communities working with 50 Jubilee global partners. Jubilee's mission is to build an economy that serves, protects and promotes the participation of the most vulnerable. Jubilee USA has won critical global financial reforms and more than $130 billion in debt relief to benefit the world's poorest people. www.jubileeusa.org

© 2001-2024 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy