Western nations lauded for their generosity following the southeast Asian tsunami disaster are failing to honor pledges of aid, leaving shortfalls of millions of dollars in the recovery program.
Despite the huge response by international governments when the tidal wave hit on Dec. 26, the UN's humanitarian appeal is still underfunded by a third, with just US$723 million received out of a total of nearly US$1 billion originally demanded and pledged.
According to an Oxfam report to be published this week, donations have followed the same pattern as pledges to other recent disasters such as the Bam earthquake in Iran and Hurricane Mitch in central America, where initial promises were not honored.
The report will also attack western governments for refusing to push ahead with debt and trade reforms that would free reconstruction money for the region.
It will be particularly critical of the debt relief deal hammered out by the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, with other members of the Paris Club of creditor nations, which suspended repayments rather than wiping out debt. There are concerns that interest payments will continue and the debts will have grown when the moratorium ends.
Oxfam is demanding a full assessment of the level of debt sustainable for each country hit by the tsunami. It will also demand reform to trade tariffs from Europe and the US on textiles and clothing from the affected region.
Bernice Romero, Oxfam International Advocacy Director, said: "In the immediate aftermath the public and governments responded admirably. Pledges were made and the world focused on the disaster.
"Rich country governments sadly appear to be dragging their feet on vital trade and debt reforms to help relieve poverty in the long term.
A World Bank official in New York said: "It's all very well that a freeze on debt repayments has been agreed, but countries will be hit by repayments as soon as the moratorium ends."
The official confirmed that wealthy countries are likely to fall short of the US$1billion demanded by the UN.
Also see stories:
Survivors `terrified to come down'
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Taiwan also claims the shoal. Monday’s encounter took place approximately 11.8 nautical miles (22km) southeast” of the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has criticized as destabilizing. “The Chinese frigate BN 554 was
LEISURE: The new law adds Confucius’ birthday, the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou, Constitution Day and Little New Year as national holidays The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed new legislation adding four national holidays and making Workers’ Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party used their combined majority in the legislature to push the jointly proposed draft through its third and final reading. This new law supersedes the existing regulations for the implementation of memorial days and state holidays, which are administered by the Ministry of the Interior. The new law recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou on Oct. 25, Constitution Day on Dec. 25 and “Little New Year,”
RSS