Economic and Social Security Cluster, 8 Sept. 2004 Asia-Europe People's Forum.
POVERTY ALLEVIATION, DEBT AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, THE ROLE OF POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY (PRS) AND ASIA DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB).
Background
The Asian Development Bank claims that its over-arching goal is poverty reduction.
However, since its establishment in 1955, ADB has created in Asia through
irresponsible project and program lending. Regardless of the Bank’s "new
development agenda" rhetoric, its continued focus on mega infrastructure projects
and aggressive promotion of privatization shows its priority to serve elite interests
over the needs of the poor.
The ADB’s identification of the private sector as a "major engine to reduce poverty",
reflect the reality that its real reason for existing is to support the private corporations
from its major donor countries in doing business in the Bank’s Developing Member
Countries in Asia and the Pacific. Through loans to hydropower dams, roads,
industrial forestry projects, and privatization of water and power, the ADB recklessly
increased the already unsustainable debt burden of the peoples and communities of
Asia and the Pacific.
Suggested topics
This Seminar will discuss the role of the ADB in promoting privatization and the
impacts of its projects on the people and environment in Asia, and the responsibilities
of European and Asian governments who are shareholders in the Bank.
Speakers
Sameer Dossani (NGO FORUM on the Asian Development Bank, Philippines)
Ulrike Bey (Asienhaus, Germany)
Nguyen Quoc An (Vietnam Farmer’s Union, Vietnam)
Ana Maria Nemenzo (Jubilee South/Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippines)
Moderator
Dorothy Guerrero
Report of the workshop
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