Walking an Economic Tightrope with No Safety Net
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 16 2013 (IPS) - With the richest one percent of the population now owning 40 percent of global assets, and the bottom half sharing just one percent, inequality is fast being recognised as a stubborn underlying obstacle to development. In recent decades, despite steady economic growth, inequality has risen in most countries and in nearly every region of the world. It takes various forms, from income gaps to unequal political access. And it…
Debate necessary on UN’s partnership facility
By Roberto Bissio* | IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis MONTEVIDEO (IDN) - According to the official schedule, approved by the United Nations General Assembly in New York, negotiations on a "new development agenda" to replace the Millennium Development Goals should begin in September 2014, in order to give countries time to study the issue. This will culminate in a Development Summit in 2015 attended by heads of state and government. However, the creation of a "partnership facility", which…
International civil organizations claim for a lasting solution to sovereign debt
Eurodad, Afrodad, Latindadd, Jubilee USA and the Third World Network (TWN) joined hands to call in a joint statement for a lasting solution to the sovereign debt crisis and the establishment of a fair and independent international debt workout mechanism. Following the global financial crisis, low-, middle- and high-income countries are seeing increased levels of sovereign debt. Today no international mechanism exists to deal comprehensively and effectively with sovereign debt problems, according to…
The vague “green economy” on the spotlight in Madrid
Roberto Bissio, director of the Third World Institute (ITeM) an international co-ordinator of Social Watch, was interviewed in Madrid by Spaniard journalist Susana Hidalgo (). The conversation, within the framework of the seminar “The Rio+20 we are navigating: Is that the future we want?”, dealt with the variety of definitions assigned by the international community and the social movements to the concept of “green economy”. Bissio also spoke with Hidalgo about the needed reforms towards…