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13 January 2005
Vicki Clayton
Jubilee Scotland
41 George IV Bridge
EDINBURGH
EH1 1EL
Dear Vicki
CANCELLATION OF AFRICA'S DEBTS
I write on behalf of the Baptist Union of Scotland, to offer our support for the proposal to cancel all of Africa's unpayable debts in full.
The Baptist Union of Scotland is deeply concerned at the plight of Africa which is suffering disproportionately from the AIDS pandemic. The needs of so many areas of the world, particularly with the opening up of Eastern Europe and the ongoing natural disasters afflicting South East Asia, have resulted in the needs of Africa being somewhat sidelined and neglected. We are grateful that a degree of debt cancellation has brought some degree of alleviation, but a great deal more still needs to be done.
We endorse Jubilee Scotland’s proposals that multilateral debt cancellation should be agreed and rapidly delivered as a means of reducing poverty in Africa and that debt relief offered to African countries should be in addition to current or projected targets. We also deplore the imposition of the forced privatisation of state assets as a condition of debt relief. We believe that any resolution to the debt crisis should not be at the expense of the basic social needs of ordinary people.
We are glad to see the positive moves by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, to highlight the urgent needs of Africa in the run up to the forthcoming G8 Summit. We trust that the World Bank, IMF and the world's creditor nations will heed the plight of Africa and take positive steps to alleviate the suffering of ordinary Africans.
Yours sincerely
(Rev) Bill Slack
General Director
Baptist Union of Scotland
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