We spent yesterday in the United Nations headquarters in New York for the UN Conference on the global economic crisis and watched the opening plenary session live on a big screen in a designated room with our NGO colleagues.

Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, the President of the General Assembly, stated at the outset of his speech that we are meeting because “we are going through the most singular moment in human history when our common future is at stake.” He said we must acknowledge that the current economic and financial crisis is the result of “an egotistical and irresponsible way of living, producing, consuming and establishing relationships among ourselves and with nature that involved systematic aggression against Earth and its ecosystems,” which masked social imbalance and global social injustice. He called for “a sustainable way of life,” which stems from a shared vision of the values and principles that promote the well-being of present and future generations, and a creation of a new global ethic to share our common global good that is the “Mother Earth.” This should be extended in dealing with the concerns of environment as well as humanitarian issues including poverty, which is a “time bomb” against humanities of all societies. He concluded his moving speech with a plea that that we “arm ourselves with solidarity and cooperation in order to make a qualitative leap forward to a future of peace and well-being.” You can read a transcript of his speech here.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon also raised concerns that the world is “still struggling to overcome the worst ever global financial and economic crisis since the founding of the United Nations more than 60 years ago.” He called the international community to take three urgent actions. First, he stated the need for real time data on the vulnerability of the crisis to the poor. In this regard, he informed us that the UN is leading the construction of a global crisis alert mechanism. Second, the international community must keep their commitments on their development targets including the 2005 Gleneagles commitments made by the G8 leaders. Third, he called for the international community to work together to reform the world institutions. “The world institutions created generations ago must be made more accountable, more representative and more effective.” Ban Ki-Moon also said he had just sent a letter to leaders of the G8 urging “concrete commitments and specific action to renew our resolve.”

Yesterday afternoon, we attended a dialogue between the civil society participants and the Commission of Experts on the Reforms of the International Monetary and Financial Systems, convened by the President of the General Assembly. Professor Joseph Stiglitz, the chair of the commission, gave an overview of the recommendations that was released ahead of the Conference and answered questions from the civil society participants. He called for a package of strong, coordinated and effective actions to stimulate the global economy and a number of systemic reforms of the current financial systems, including the creation of a new global reserve system to better deal with risks, and better surveillance systems. He criticized the recent G20’s attempt in tackling the financial crisis, as follows– grants should be provided to the poor rather than debt-incurring loans, their agreements on regulation were more cosmetic than real, and too much of the new resources to the poor will be provided by the IMF, who has been criticized for imposing harmful conditions in return for IMF funding. In his closing remarks, Stiglitz reminded us that the financial crisis is an opportunity for us to change the current skewed global financial and economic system, but that there is a real danger that real reforms will be blocked by a number of governments who do not want to make those changes. Encouragingly, the Commission added that continuous pressure by civil society on governments to make the necessary reforms will be vital in preventing this from happening. The Commission’s report can be found here.

Check back for more updates from the UN!

-Mikiko Imai

This morning, Miki Imai and I are heading to the United Nations Conference on the Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development. This UN Conference will be a valuable opportunity for all countries- developed and developing alike- to have a seat at the table to discuss possible solutions to this systemic crisis. As indicated on the website, the purpose of the Conference is “to identify emergency and long-term responses to mitigate the impact of the crisis, especially on vulnerable populations, and initiate a needed dialogue on the transformation of the international financial architecture, taking into account the needs and concerns of all Member States.” For more information about the Conference, including background materials, official documents and side events, go to: http://www.un.org/ga/econcrisissummit/

During the Conference, we will meet with other civil society organizations and social movements from around the globe that have come to NYC to demonstrate solidarity with the world’s poorest people. Numerous organizations and networks have rallied behind 10 Days of Action: Countdown to Commitments, which “aims to mobilize public opinion and deliver the message to world leaders that civil society is watching and expects just, equitable and sustainable solutions to the financial and economic crisis which are focused on the urgent needs of people and the planet.” To learn more about the 10 Days of Action here.

Keep posted for more updates from the Ccnference!

-Margaret McDonnell, ONE’s NGO Partnerships (US) & Faith Relations Team

The Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2009, was introduced in March by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Bob Corker (R-TN).

The bipartisan legislation would make water and sanitation important pillars of America’s development policy, with the target of providing 100 million people with first-time access to safe and sustainable drinking water and sanitation by 2015.

The Water for the World Act targets underdeveloped countries with focused initiatives to improve access to clean water and sanitation, fosters global cooperation on research and development, provides technical assistance and capacity-building, and provides seed money for the deployment of clean water and sanitation technologies.  The bill would elevate water as a U.S. foreign policy priority by creating an Office of Water within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and a Special Coordinator for International Water within the Department of State.

This act builds upon earlier landmark legislation, theSenator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005, which represented the first time a Millennium Development Goal (to halve the percentage of people without access to safe water or sanitation by 2015), was written into American law.

The Water for the World Act was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 17th. With only five cosponsors, the bill isn’t receiving the attention needed for further congressional action. Ask your senators to cosponsor S. 624 now

-Rena Pacheco-Theard

After traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo a few weeks ago, Cindy McCain urges the United States to support the United Nations World Food Programme as it strives to feed more than a million men, women and children in the region.

Read excerpts from her op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal below, and the full piece here.

Since mid-January, more than 250,000 people have been displaced in areas of North and South Kivu provinces due to fighting between the Congolese rebels and the army. The northeastern corner of the country, near the Sudanese border, is even worse off. There the violent militiamen of the Lord’s Resistance Army burn homes, murder civilians and kidnap children to turn them into slaves or child soldiers.

In the northeast region alone, the World Food Programme has launched an emergency operation to feed 154,000 people — a tall order during the rainy season, when roads become deep, mud-filled trenches and even airstrips are turned into quagmires. Of all the aid organizations on the ground, it is the biggest and most diversified. In addition to providing food, it is the lead agency for logistics, delivering vital goods such as medicines, blankets and agricultural tools on behalf of other aid groups….

As the world tries to figure out how to cope with the economic downturn, we Americans are presented with the challenge of giving even more. The price of cornmeal has risen by 35% in the last year, and the World Food Programme faces a 2009 funding shortfall of $77 million for its operations in the eastern Congo.

In 1994, in the city of Goma in eastern Congo, I watched as a Danish nurse attempted to feed a baby who obviously was not going to make it. Tears streamed down her face. I held my composure until I got back to my car and then wept, too. That day, I vowed to do all I can to prevent such needless deaths.

I hope that my country chooses to save lives in the Congo by continuing to support the World Food Programme as it strives to provide more aid to the orphans, the sick, and those torn from their homes.

On Wednesday April 9th, the European Commission launched its yearly update on how EU donor countries are helping to meet the MDGs. This year President Barroso and Commissioner for Development Louis Michel used the opportunity to make some key announcements on advancing crucial development assistance for African countries. It’s fantastic that the leadership of the Commission is putting development matters so high on his political agenda. Less than a week after the London Summit, the Commission outlined three main ways it would act to help developing countries combat the effects of this economic crash:

1. Pushing EU governments to meet their aid promises and ensuring the highest degree of aid effectiveness possible. Development Commissioner Louis Michel’s message was: “We know what we must do: meet our aid targets, advance our money to have an impact when it is most needed, refocus our existing programmes to tackle the crisis and then make every Euro count”.
2. The EU is proposing spending more cash for the poorest countries to help fill some of the financing gaps created by the economic downturn. The €1billion Food Facility was intended to be spent over 3 years- now the Commission have promised to spend €800m of it by the end of the year to inject much-needed cash into the agricultural sectors of countries most in need of support for farmers. A whopping €3billion will be brought forward for African, Caribbean and Pacific country governments and another €500m for spending on health, education and other vital social spending.
3. Thirdly aid effectiveness is the Commission’s priority. When Louis Michel spoke of ‘making every euro count’ he was alluding to some research he had commissioned which showed that just by working together more effectively, the European Commission and the 27 governments could save a huge €7billion a year which could be freed up to save lives in this downturn. The Commission wants more coordination between donors- it’s common sense that not every donor should work on every sector in one country, and we should be seeing more of donor countries playing to their strengths and taking the lead amongst donors in their specialist areas.

All in all the announcement yesterday was a very positive step- it shows the EU has not just read the G20 communique and agreed- it is doing that rare thing of acting quickly upon agreements. We hope it will convince other G20 countries to do the same, and fast- we’re particularly looking toward the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and IMF to raise more funding for Africa in grant form. Any loans that are given we will argue should be extremely concessional so they don’t spark another debt crisis. There are of course some concerns about the announcements yesterday– Will governments replenish those funds when there’s not enough in the pot next year? Ironically, if the EU alone kept to its 2010 promises, that would mean another €20 billion on overall assistance over the next two years. So the message is simple- we welcome these announcements, on the condition that EU governments stick to their ODA promises.

-Eloise Todd

Joel Madden, lead singer of the band Good Charlotte, became a UNICEF Ambassador in 2008. He’s particularly committed to supporting UNICEF’s water and sanitation programs, and is acting as the 2009 National Spokesperson for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF Tap Project.

Photo credit UNICEF/Pierre Holtz

Last year, I got to see—up close—what it’s like when safe, clean drinking water is a luxury, not a given. I traveled to the Central African Republic (CAR), where a third of the people don’t have safe water. Instead of waking up in the morning and turning on the tap, they may have to walk miles to get water from a dirty stream. Or pay someone for a bucket of water that came from a contaminated well. In a health clinic in this great little town, Sam Ouandja, we met children who were sick and dying from drinking unclean water. It was awful. I’m a father and seeing kids dying for reasons that can so easily be prevented was something I just couldn’t accept.

But every day around the world, over 4,200 children die from water-related diseases. This year, I signed up to be the spokesperson for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF Tap Project, because I want people to be aware of this horrible truth. And do something to stop it. During World Water Week, March 22–28, the Tap Project raises money for UNICEF to bring clean water to millions of kids around the world. It works like this: restaurants ask people who come in for a meal to give $1 for tap water they’d usually drink free. That one buck can pay for a child to have clean drinking water for 40 days. This is a great, simple idea that makes a difference. Go check out the Tap Project website to find restaurants near you that are part of Tap this year. Or learn about all the other ways you can donate and get involved.

On my trip to trip to CAR, I got to see some of the awesome work UNICEF is doing with the money we raise. I can’t tell you how great it felt to meet people who—because of UNICEF—had clean water in the refugee camp we went to. Or to hang out with kids at a school with a UNICEF well who were healthy—not sick from bad water. But I think about the kids I met in Sam Ouandja—children I sat with, played with, sang with… children who could die because they don’t have clean water. You can really make a difference for kids like these with the Tap Project. So please—get involved!

-Joel Madden

Are you looking for a way to support the efforts of assuring that everyone in the world has access to clean water? If you’re already planning to go to a restaurant next week, you can find one in your area that has partnered with the Tap Project and you can be part of the solution!

During World Water Week, March 22-28, 2009, the Tap Project will once again raise vital donations and awareness for UNICEF’s water and sanitation programs. For every dollar raised, a child will have clean drinking water for 40 days. All funds raised support UNICEF’s efforts to bring clean and accessible water to millions of children around the world.

Next Thursday, March 26 ONE members and their friends will be meeting for dinner at Gordon Biersch. Instead of getting tap water for free, patrons will be asked to donate $1 or more for the tap water they usually enjoy for no cost, and all funds raised will support UNICEF’s efforts to bring clean and accessible water to millions of children around the world. Participants can RSVP at the ONE event site.

-Lori Saltveit, ONE member, San Francisco Bay Area

A World Bank report released on 8 March projects that global GDP will decline this year for the first time since World War II. The new report revised earlier estimates that emerging markets would sustain and grow the world economy even as the economies of developed countries contracted. The report was released ahead of the G20 finance ministers’ meeting to be held in London later this week. The report predicts that developing countries face a financial gap of $270-$700 billion caused by the global recession, and warns that even at the lower end of this range, international financial institutions such as the World Bank and IMF cannot by themselves currently cover the shortfall that includes mounting public and private debt and trade deficits.

The report also highlighted earlier analysis that poverty (people living below $1.25 per day) will increase by around 46 million people in 2009 (and by 53 million for those living below $2 per day), caused by adverse effects on employment and wages as well as slowing remittance flows. The crisis will be a major setback to the progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, as the long run consequences of the crisis may be more severe than those observed in the short run. For example, when poor households withdraw their children from school, there is a significant risk that they will not return once the crisis is over, or that they will not be able to recover the learning gaps resulting from the missed months or years of school attendance. The World Bank also warns that infant deaths in developing countries may be 200,000-400,000 per year higher on average between 2009 and the MDG target year of 2015 than they would have been in the absence of the crisis, according to its preliminary analysis.

The report concludes that stabilization, protecting longer-term growth and development, and protecting the vulnerable will be the main challenges for developing and emerging market countries, but pursuing these objectives requires significant resources which low income countries lack. As a response to the crisis, the World Bank is calling on developed nations to dedicate 0.7% of the money they spend on stimulus programmes (the G20’s announced fiscal stimulus collectively amounts to almost $1 trillion for 2008 and 2009 as of end of January, with a further $650 billion in 2010) toward a Vulnerability Fund to help developing countries absorb the shock of the financial crisis. Some G20 countries such as the UK have expressed interest in this idea, but to date, none of the countries has committed to it. The upcoming G20 finance ministers’ meeting will be an important moment to discuss this proposal.

-Mikiko Imai

Monday saw the beginning of the two-day UN food summit, held in Madrid, where top officials from countries and institutions like the World Bank gathered to discuss the global food crisis. The summit was an opportunity to strategize about addressing the food crisis – particularly for poor countries – as the excerpts below describe.

ONE’s Eloise Todd was at the summit, and will be reporting about the outcomes shortly on the blog.

Excerpts below, full article here

World Bank Managing Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is leading a delegation to the two-day meeting starting on Monday, said more resources and attention are needed to help the poor.

“Food prices are now volatile and that factor, combined with the impact of the financial crisis, only serves to heighten the challenges confronting the developing world,” Okonjo-Iweala said in a statement.

“We expect high price volatility to continue and it will hit the poorest the most, as they spend half their income on food. More needs to be done as we must ensure those who are vulnerable get the assistance they need.”

Okonjo-Iweala said while food prices have fallen they are are still higher than, say, just three years ago. And in some countries, prices have not fallen as sharply as in others.

-Beth Adler

As we continue to monitor the situation in Zimbabwe, there are a couple developments today worth noting:

Word has come that South Africa will host a regional summit on Zimbabwe. This announcement follows a failure in talks between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on forming a power-sharing government.

“The summit of heads of state and government is expected to be attended by all (Southern African Development Community) member states,” the South African Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Zimbabwe is a member of SADC and the statement said the MDC was also expected to attend the summit.

South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, Mozambique’s President Armando Guebuza and Thabo Mbeki, SADC mediator and former South African president, met the two Zimbabwean sides in Harare last Monday but no agreement was reached.

A unity government is seen as the best chance of preventing total collapse in once prosperous Zimbabwe, where prices double every day and more than 2,000 people have died in a cholera epidemic.

Last week the Executive Director of UNICEF Anne M. Veneman visited Zimbabwe to meet with Mugabe and other key stakeholders The discussions “underscored the humanitarian impact on women and children.”

“The cholera outbreak is the tip of the iceberg,” said Veneman, the first head of a UN agency to visit the country in three years. “The economy in Zimbabwe is crumbling, with the highest inflation rate in the world at 231 million percent. Over half the population is receiving food aid, health centers have closed and when the school term starts there is no guarantee that there will be enough teachers.”

The Executive Director visited a cholera treatment clinic and a care center that is part of a UNICEF supported program that helps 250,000 orphans and vulnerable children.

-Chris Scott