Paying The Price: Why Rich Countries Must Invest Now in a War on Poverty

In 2005, the G8 Summit, the UN Millennium Development Goals Special Summit, and the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference are unprecedented opportunities for action by donors and governments to end global poverty. For the world’s poorest people, there is no time for empty rhetoric. To stand a chance of meeting the MDGs, in 2005 world governments must draw up a Millennium Plan which makes binding commitments to reform international trade rules, cancel the unsustainable debt owed by poor countries, and increase the volumes and effectiveness of aid. This must be followed by urgent and concerted action. In relation to the debt and aid components of such a plan, Oxfam International makes the following recommendations.