Debt movement calls for total cancellation of Haiti's debt
After Tuesday’s earthquake, which has left up to 200,000 people dead, Jubilee Debt Campaign (1) has called for an urgent cancellation of all of Haiti’s remaining debt. The campaign group have also criticised the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for extending new loans (2) to the country at a time when significant grant-aid is required.
JDC welcomed the cancellation of two thirds ($1.2 billion) of Haiti’s debt in 2009, but regrets that the country still has $641 million in debt on its books and in 2010 is projected to pay around $10million to International Financial Institutions.
The group called the International Monetary Fund’s proposed offer of $100 million in new lending to Haiti ‘completely inappropriate’. Even though lent at very concessional rates of interest, the group says the proposal contradicts the IMF’s own policy recommendations (3) that Haiti should not borrow more money because, even after debt cancellation, its potential for debt distress remains high.
Nick Dearden, Director of Jubilee Debt Campaign said:
“Haiti’s dire poverty has been built on centuries of injustice perpetrated against the country by the rich world. It is time for our part of the world to pay its debt to Haiti. That means full cancellation of all of Haiti’s debts and large grant funding. It is completely inappropriate for international institutions like the IMF, which bare a good degree of responsibility for the poor state of Haiti’s economy today, to be making new loans with more damaging conditions.”
JDC points out that not only is lending the wrong solution for Haiti, but the IMF’s loans come with conditions. Current conditions include: raising prices for electricity, refusing pay raises for any public sector employees except those making the minimum wage and keeping inflation as low as possible. The group argues that Haiti is still suffering as a result of conditions applied to it’s economy in the past.
In 1995 the IMF forced Haiti to slash its rice tariff from 35% to 3%. This resulted is an increase in imports of more than 150% between 1994 and 2003, 95% of them coming from the US (4). This devastated Haitian farmers. Traditional rice-farming areas of Haiti now have some of the highest concentrations of malnutrition and a country that was self-sufficient in rice is now dependent on foreign imports. This led to rioting and the fall of the Haitian government last Spring when food prices rocketed.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Nick Dearden, Director, Jubilee Debt Campaign, +44 (0) 7932 335464
NOTES
(1) Jubilee Debt Campaign is a UK coalition demanding 100% cancellation of unpayable and illegitimate developing country debts. For more information see www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk.
(2) IMF to Provide US$100 Million in Emergency Assistance to Haiti
Press Release No. 10/06 January 14, 2010 www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr1006.htm
(3) IMF Executive Board Completes Fifth Review Under PRGF Arrangement for Haiti and Approves US$24.5 Million Disbursement and Extension of Arrangement
Press Release No. 09/244, July 2, 2009 www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2009/pr09244.htm
(4) ‘Kicking down the door’, Oxfam Briefing Paper 72, April 2005
