Meeting on Alternative Approaches to Debt Relief
for Highly Indebted
Poor Countries
Friday, 24 - Saturday, 25 September
1999
Washington, D.C.
Hosted by the Center for
International Development and the
Global Coalition for Africa
Overview |
Highlights |
Media
CID and the Global Coalition for Africa co-sponsored this conference with the goal of bringing together HIPC finance ministers, debt relief experts and policy-makers to promote debt forgiveness and a just and transparent debt relief program. Coverage includes the Ten Principles on Debt Cancellation, summary of the conference, photos of conference participants, real audio excerpts of speeches.
Overview |
Highlights |
Media
Ten Principles on Debt Cancellation - presented by Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs at the conference and based on participants' discussions.
Conference Summary:
The opening address at the conference was made by Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, Executive Secretary of the GCA. He spoke about the importance of political will on the part of creditors and stressed that the meeting was well-timed. Listen to excerpts of
Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah's address.
(Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, right, Kwesi Botchwey, on the left)
Kwesi Botchwey, Director of Africa Research and Programmes at CID, talked
about the factors leading to a changed attitude for debt forgiveness and
made some suggestions for improvements of the Cologne Initiative. Listen to
excerpts of
Kwesi Botchwey's speech.
Congressman Spencer Bachus explained that US politicians
usually focused on domestic issues, but stressed that public awareness would
help mobilize political will. Listen to excerpts of
Congressman Bachus' speech.
(Congressman Bachu, Republican-Alabama)
Bono, lead singer of the rock group U2 and social activist, identified the
need for debt relief as having economic, moral, and spiritual roots. He said
that from his own experience there was both a political will and widespread
support for debt forgiveness. Listen to excerpts of
Bono's speech. In a previous speech, Bono talked about his own country
of Ireland and its economic development.
(Bono)
In his keynote address, Sachs explained the history of the HIPC Initiative,
criticized World Bank and IMF efforts, and regretted the chasm between what
was being put forth by the Cologne Initiative and what was really needed.
Listen to excerpts from
Sach's keynote address.
(Jeffrey D. Sachs speaking at the dinner)
Overview |
Highlights |
Media
For RealAudio excerpts and photos of the complete conference -- prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Developments (IISD), on behalf of the Center for International Development -- please visit the conference program page.
Overview |
Highlights |
Media
Return to Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Relief Home
Direct site comments or questions to
CID's Webmaster.
Copyright
© 2007 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College.
Last revised
11/01/2007