Make Poverty History 2005

What did, and did not happen

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY 2005

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

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

JANUARY / FEBRUARY

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

•600 female clergy march on Downing Streetled by Dawn French, “the Vicar of Dibley”

•Nelson Mandela speaks in Trafalgar Square

APRIL

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

Global Week of Action. Campaigners in 80 countries unite in the call for trade justiceIn the UK 25,000 attend the wake up to trade justice all night vigil in Whitehall

JULY

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

250,000 campaigners rally in EdinburghG8 summit meets in Gleneagles

NOVEMBER

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

8000 lobby their MPs ahead of WTO meetingOfficially the most effective mass lobby ever375 MPs lobbied in one afternoon

DECEMBER

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

WTO talks in Hong Kong:

before and during….

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

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

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)

What you achieved

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

Trade

‘You have transformed the perception of the trade deal we need’

Alan JohnsonSec of State for Trade and Industry

24 Nov 2005

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 BlairPrime minister

1998

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

What you achieved

• 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.’

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

What you achieved• Trade

‘we will not force poor countries to liberalise through aid or trade agreements’

UK abolishes conditions attached to aid

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

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

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

2006 – words into actionRules 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………

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

2006 – words into actionSolidarity campaigns

• Campaigning with partners for specific proposals eg. Senegal, India, Bolivia, Sri Lanka

• Making trade work for poor people

2005 – The year the government changed its mind

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