Press releases

Former Afghan finance minister calls for greater foreign aid transparency

jlee — 2009-11-19T15:36:52Z

Washington, DC – With the Obama Administration and Congress closer than ever before to reforming U.S. foreign aid, leaders including a former Afghan Finance Minister urged U.S. policymakers to give poor countries greater ownership of their own development.

In a second event co-hosted by Oxfam America and Foreign Policy that brought developing world leaders to DC to discuss improving U.S. foreign aid, Dr. Ashraf Ghani, who engineered Afghan economic reforms as finance minister under President Hamid Karzai, Orazio J. Bellettini, executive director of good government organization Grupo Faro in Ecuador, and Vivek Ramkumar, manager of the Open Budget Initiative at the International Budget Partnership highlighted the critical importance of transparency and predictability to overall aid effectiveness.

"American aid is too volatile,” said Dr. Ghani. “This is because it has to be approved by an annual Congressional budgetary process – approval is often delayed and money is then rushed to be spent. Predictability, through sharing information with governments, citizens and civil society, is the prerequisite to transparency and mutual accountability."

Since the first Oxfam-Foreign Policy event on the topic in July, the aid reform debate has accelerated. In late-September, Oxfam released Ownership in Practice: The Key to Smart Development, a major report with policy recommendations calling for the U.S. to “strengthen the voice of poor people and the responsiveness of the state” as part of any aid reform effort.

The Obama Administration and Congress have also created unprecedented momentum for reform:
• The White House launched its Presidential Study Directive on Global Development Policy in late August, which will review how cross-government departments can work together to develop and implement coordinated and sound development policy. The findings are due in January;
• The State Department has moved forward with its Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, which would provide a blueprint for coordinated diplomatic and development efforts. The report is due next year;
• The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved the bipartisan Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act of 2009 (S.1524), which would strengthen USAID and provide new accountability measure for aid; and,
• Chairman Berman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs is leading an effort to rewrite the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

Last week, the Obama Administration also took the long-awaited step of nominating an Administrator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). If confirmed, the nominee, Dr. Rajiv Shah, would hopefully be the lead development voice in the foreign aid reform process and major foreign policy decisions by the Obama Administration.

“Leaders and citizens of developing countries want more ownership of the development process,” said Paul O’Brien, Oxfam America’s vice president of policy and advocacy. “For U.S. policymakers to transform U.S. development policy, they must increase aid transparency and deliver timely, predictable information to aid recipients. This would give them a real stake in building a better future for themselves.”

Bill will galvanize trade in the fight against poverty

jlee — 2009-11-19T19:27:30Z

Washington, DC – International development organization Oxfam America praised yesterday’s introduction by Representative Jim McDermott (D - WA) of the “New Partnership for Trade Development Act,” which would help the world’s poorest countries use trade as a means out of poverty.

Paul O’Brien, Oxfam America’s Vice-President for Advocacy, who recently testified at a Committee on Ways and Means hearing on US Trade Preference Programs, made the following statement:

“Rep. McDermott’s initiative to substantially improve key trade preference programs will maximize benefits for all least developed countries (LDCs). At a time when the global economic crisis is hitting poor countries the hardest, providing full and permanent access to the US market will offer these countries enhanced opportunities to use trade as a means to spur economic growth and poverty reduction.

“It makes no sense that we collect from Cambodia seven times as much in tariffs as we give them in aid. Or that for every dollar in aid the US provided to Bangladesh last year, Bangladesh paid nearly $4 in tariffs on goods exported here. The New Partnership for Trade Development Act would end this contradiction in our aid and trade policies by enacting into law the US commitment – in the context of the Millennium Development Goals and at the World Trade Organization - to provide duty-free and quota-free market access to all LDCs.

“This bill will go a long way toward making a reality many of the improvements to US trade preference programs that will deliver for development. This bill would not only provide full US market access for all LDCs, it would also simplify the rules of origin to make the program easier to use, and would create a presidential-level mechanism to coordinate much-needed trade capacity building efforts to help countries take advantage of trade opportunities. Most importantly, this bill would provide stability for developing countries and American businesses alike by making these benefits for LDCs permanent.

“While some additional reforms could be made to ensure all trade preference programs are most effective for the promotion of sustainable development, this bill would greatly help poor countries harness trade for development. We look forward to working with Representative McDermott and members of the Ways and Means Committee to ensure that this bill becomes the core of new legislation to improve US trade preference programs.”

Poverty and unemployment fuel the conflict according to 70 percent of Afghans

mhart — 2009-11-18T08:36:05Z

Seventy percent of surveyed Afghans see poverty and unemployment as the major cause of conflict in their country, according to new research by international aid agency Oxfam and a group of Afghan organizations. Ordinary Afghans blame government weakness and corruption as the second most important factor behind the fighting, with the Taliban coming in third, followed by interference by neighboring countries.

Oxfam’s new joint report, “The Cost of War,” paints a grim picture of a country plagued by 30 years of fighting. The survey of 704 Afghans from across the country reveals:

* one in six Afghans are currently considering leaving Afghanistan;

* one in five Afghans have been tortured since the wars began in 1979; and

* three quarters of Afghans have been forced to leave their homes since then.

Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America, said:

“The people of Afghanistan have suffered through 30 years of violent conflict. In that time, Afghan society has been devastated as millions have been killed and millions more have fled their homes. Those who have committed the most terrible abuses have largely not faced justice.

“Repairing this damage can’t happen overnight. It will take a long time for the economic, social, and psychological scars to heal. The international community must recognize that Afghanistan needs more than military solutions. It needs support for agriculture, better infrastructure and schools, and health services must improve.

“Ordinary Afghans want peace and an end to conflict, and they want the root causes of fighting to be addressed. One man told us: ‘If people are jobless they are capable of anything.’ With poverty driving the conflict, the international community must bear his words in mind and provide more effective aid to help kick-start the Afghan economy.”

Looking over the 30 years of conflict since the Soviets invaded in 1979, one in ten people surveyed had been imprisoned at least once. One in five (21 percent) were tortured, either in jail or by the various armed groups. A third of those tortured were women. Just one percent reported receiving any form of compensation or apology for the harm done to them.

Azim Mohammad from Nangarhar said: “What do you think the effect that two million Afghans martyred, seventy percent of Afghanistan destroyed and our economy eliminated has had on us? Half our people have been driven mad. A man who is thirty or forty years old looks like he is seventy. We always live in fear. We are not secure anywhere in Afghanistan.”

There was a widespread feeling among all the participants that poverty, corruption, injustice, and civilian suffering have fuelled the spread of insecurity.

As part of the research, Afghans were asked to give their suggestions to the politicians, military forces, insurgent groups, and the international community. They wanted the establishment of the rule of law at all levels, a crackdown on corruption, and an end to the culture of impunity.

Many thought foreign aid from governments does not currently reach the people who need it most and wanted to see this money improve health and education services and help create jobs.

There was a strong sense that both sides on the conflict must prioritize the safety of Afghan civilians. There have been 2,021 civilian casualties up until October of this year.

Offenheiser said: “Afghans surveyed felt that the Taliban and other insurgents should immediately stop targeting civilians and stop taking refuge in civilian areas, which puts normal Afghans on the front lines of the conflict.

“All sides must work to protect civilians. International forces should tighten their restrictions on air strikes and night raids. They must transparently investigate all allegations of harm to civilians and provide appropriate forms of redress.”

Click here to download "The Cost of War" report.

El Salvador deals with devastation in the wake of heavy rains

jlee — 2009-11-17T06:37:21Z

A week after torrential rains and a slow-moving Hurricane Ida caused severe flooding in several regions of El Salvador, more than 15,000 displaced Salvadorans are living in shelters with more than 190 confirmed deaths and another 80 still missing.

Heavy winds and rain hit El Salvador during the evening of November 7^th and the early morning of November 8^th, resulting in landslides and flooding that swallowed entire neighborhoods and caused severe damage to roads and bridges. According to national authorities, the storm produced as much as 355 millimeters (nearly 14 inches) of rain in four hours in some areas, making this the second deadliest weather disaster in El Salvador history. The deadliest was Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed 240 people.

“The scenes of floods and landslides that struck El Salvador last week reflect a storm of almost unbelievable intensity. More than 200 people are dead or missing, more than 1,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, and crops that the rural population depends on for food have been obliterated,” said Carolina Castrillo, a regional director for Oxfam in Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, based in San Salvador.

In the initial stages of the response, more than 70 Oxfam-supported community protection committees were mobilized to help survivors evacuate their towns and villages and reach the safety of shelters in the coastal area of Puerto La Libertad, one of the hardest hit zones, as well as in San Salvador and municipalities in the departments of Zacatecoluca, San Vicente, La Paz, and Cuscatlán. So far, Oxfam has supplied nearly 6,000 people in this region with food, water, personal hygiene kits, and other items.

“Needs are significant across all of the affected areas with only 123 shelters accommodating more than 15,000 displaced residents. The damage is severe, and reconstruction and replacement of houses, infrastructure, and crops will take a long time. We will continue working with partners and local authorities to contribute to the recovery process,” said Castrillo.

“This week, Oxfam plans to reach more than 6,000 people with clean water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene promotion,” says Enrique García, Oxfam’s humanitarian coordinator for Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. “Until now, we have focused our efforts on temporary shelters, but people are now returning to their communities where there are no proper water and sanitation facilities. We will begin by installing water tanks in some of these communities.”

In the wake of Hurricane Mitch, many Salvadoran communities joined forces with aid providers to reduce the deadly outcomes of violent storms and earthquakes. Over the past four years, Oxfam has supported local organizations to help form and train committees within the villages to operate early warning systems, develop evacuation plans, and administer first aid. Oxfam also built a warehouse in San Nicolas Lempa in the department of Sin Vicente to facilitate delivery of emergency supplies to shelters in surrounding disaster-prone areas.

“Community protection committees, formed by Oxfam and partners over the last three years, were activated immediately to provide clean water and sanitation services. In some areas, they assisted the evacuation of families at risk, saving lives in the middle of the night, and used tools provided by Oxfam to help families clean up debris the next day,” said García.

For updated information and to donate, please visit www.oxfamamerica.org.

US Senate’s commitment to aid reform critical to success for Shah and USAID

jlee — 2009-11-17T06:40:29Z

Washington, DC — International development and relief organization Oxfam America today welcomed committee consideration of a bipartisan development aid reform bill introduced by Senators Kerry (D-MA), Lugar (R-IN), Menendez (D-NJ), Corker (R-TN), Cardin (D-MD), and Risch (R-ID).

The legislation, the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act of 2009 (S.1524), would enact key reforms to US programs that fight global poverty. These include greater transparency in how US development aid is used and rebuilding the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), both critical components of the aid reform agenda Oxfam America hopes will quickly pass Congress and become law.

“Rajiv Shah’s nomination as USAID administrator last week makes the timing of this bill consideration even more significant,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America. “A strong leader for USAID is important, but success for US development policy and programs also requires commitment from Congress to rebuild and refocus the agency.”

The bill not only addresses increasing USAID’s capacity to strategize and create comprehensive development plans, it also focuses on establishing greater transparency on how US development aid is being used. According to Oxfam, transparency benefits not only the US taxpayer, but also recipient countries that will be better able to plan for and implement development initiatives.

“Good information allows recipient governments to plan, it helps poor people hold their governments accountable, and allows US taxpayers to see results,” said Offenheiser. “Transparency leads to greater accountability, which leads to success. Success means poor people have more control over their own lives, and have a greater opportunity to escape poverty.”

Key themes addressed by the new legislation include rebuilding USAID's capacity to think and implement strategically; giving the agency new tools to measure, evaluate and innovate to achieve smart development; promoting transparency and flexibility; and investing in human capital.

This legislation coincides with major reviews of US development policy at both the White House and the State Department. Earlier this year, President Obama signed a Presidential Study Directive – initiating a whole-of-government examination of global development policy to be completed by January 2010, and Secretary of State Clinton launched the first-ever Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), in order to streamline the aid system and to put development on par with national security and diplomacy in foreign policy debates and decisions. Momentum around aid reform continues to build on Capitol Hill as well, and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman’s (D-CA) Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009 (HR 2139), currently has 120 bipartisan co-sponsors.

For more information on Oxfam America’s ownership and aid reform agenda visit www.oxfamamerica.org/reformaid. Oxfam’s recent paper, Ownership in Practice: The Key to Smart Development, is available here: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/files/oa-aeownership-092109.pdf.

For media inquiries contact Helen DaSilva, hdasilva@oxfamamerica.org or +617-331-2984.

Gift shopping stinks? Give manure this year

jlee — 2009-11-13T20:43:42Z

BOSTON, MA – October 19, 2009 – Ever thought of manure as the perfect holiday gift? Well, here’s your chance to select a unique gift for a friend and make a difference in the fight against poverty when you give through OxfamGifts.com. Organic manure ($12), one of more than 60 gifts in our catalog, is a green gift that transforms waste into power—agricultural power. It increases crop yields and is cheaper and safer than chemical fertilizers. So, show your loved ones that you really "give a $%@#" for our planet.

It’s simple: when you buy a gift at OxfamGifts.com, your loved one gets a card, and the money goes to those who need it most. You’ll find more than 60 gifts in our alternative gift catalog, many of them new this year. Your gift supports our efforts to provide lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice in over 100 countries.

In its fourth season, Oxfam America Unwrapped is introducing a new, easier-to-use website that links gifts to stories and videos that illustrate how your donation affects the lives of people around the world. In the ‘How your donation helps’ section of the site, visitors can learn about Oxfam America’s work around the world:

• Ethiopia’s Singing Wells is an inspiring short video about how the Borena people survive a harsh climate. Related Emergency Essentials gift: water purifier.
• In Donkeys to the Rescue, we learn how the people of Darfur found a safe way to earn a living in the midst of conflict. Related Animals gift: donkey.
• A heartwarming account from a seed bank in Gambia sheds light on how locals cope when food is scarce. Related Green gift: packet of seeds.

If stories like this strike a chord, at OxfamGifts.com, you can choose from a goat ($50), school desk and chair, ($35), mosquito nets ($18), and more. At prices that won’t break the bank, and an easy, convenient way to get your holiday gift shopping done online, Oxfam America Unwrapped is your answer to avoiding the excess of the holiday season.

All gift contributions are general donations to Oxfam America and are fully tax-deductible.

Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice. To learn more, go to www.oxfamamerica.org.

**Note to editors: For camera-ready art or to speak with an Oxfam America spokesperson, contact Zeenat Potia at zpotia@oxfamamerica.org or 617-371-2721.

El Salvador: Oxfam Assesses Damage in Wake of Heavy Rains and Hurricane Ida

jlee — 2009-11-10T17:51:36Z

Torrential rains and a slow-moving Hurricane Ida caused severe flooding in several regions of El Salvador over the weekend, resulting in more than 140 confirmed deaths, 60 people missing, and more than 12,900 people in shelters. A series of landslides and flooding throughout the country caused severe damage to roads and bridges and some landslides have reportedly swallowed entire neighborhoods.

Thanks to pre-positioned emergency response materials, Oxfam and partners in the region are working to support shelters in the coastal area of Puerto La Libertad, one of the hardest hit zones, as well as in San Salvador and municipalities in the departments of Zacatecoluca, San Vicente, and Cuscatlán in the initial stages of response, distributing mattresses, stoves, water tanks, food, cleaning equipment, and other items.

Needs are huge at the moment with only 119 shelters in schools and community buildings for the more than 12,900 people. President Funes declared a national state of emergency on Sunday evening. El Salvador’s National Civil Protection System is working in several affected communities; however, there are a lack of materials such as purified water, food, and shelters in good condition. Oxfam will continue to monitor and assess needs in these areas.

Carolina Castrillo, Oxfam America’s regional director for Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, based in San Salvador said: “We are getting constant reports now of damage to villages and roads, as well as extensive damage to agricultural crops. We are working with partners and local authorities to contribute to immediate response. The damage is severe, and reconstruction and replacement of houses, infrastructure, and crops will take a long time.”

The heavy rainfall was due to a low pressure system on El Salvador’s coastal area as well as Hurricane Ida, which is predicted to hit the US coast today and tonight. For now rainfall has stopped in the region, but additional rainfall with less intensity is predicted for the coming days.

For updated information and to donate, please visit www.oxfamamerica.org

Oxfam America on Dr. Rajiv Shah, Obama’s Nominee for USAID Administrator

jlee — 2009-11-10T22:33:50Z

Washington, DC – Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America, offered the following statement regarding today’s nomination of Dr. Rajiv Shah to be Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID):

“Oxfam America welcomes the Obama administration’s announcement of Dr. Rajiv Shah as USAID Administrator. With solid experience in international agriculture and health, Shah is well positioned to lead this crucial US agency.

“We look forward to working with Shah and USAID to reinvigorate and restore the agency’s capacity to lead US development efforts around the world. Oxfam America believes that a commitment to modernizing US government development assistance can have a lasting impact on global poverty and that, over time, smart development will enhance US moral standing and national interests and ultimately build a safer world for all.

“Shah assumes responsibility over USAID at a crucial moment in history. For many years, USAID has been under-resourced and politically marginalized. But today’s international challenges – from the financial crisis to climate change -- make it more important than ever to rebuild USAID from a compliance agency for NGOs and contractors to what it once was: the world's most prestigious development agency.

“Shah’s challenges are great. He must work within a legal framework that is almost half a century old. US development efforts have become diffuse and USAID’s development objectives unclear, with the Pentagon and more than 20 other federal agencies increasingly engaged in development activities. There is a need to reassert the leadership role of USAID in managing US overseas development assistance, and strengthen its ability to deliver concrete results that will enhance USAID’s standing and credibility. Most importantly, there is a need for a national global development strategy to guide the US government's efforts to fight global poverty.

“But there’s also growing momentum for a new era in US foreign aid, with a number of processes already underway that will reshape US global development policy. Additionally, bipartisan legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate to initiate foreign aid reform, as well as strengthen and elevate USAID.”

“Oxfam America is eager to work with Shah as he contributes to this effort to make US development programs more effective.”

Senate action climate bill keeps United States in the game for Copenhagen

jlee — 2009-11-09T19:29:18Z

Washington, DC — In reaction to today’s passage by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S.1733), Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of international development organization Oxfam America, made the following statement:

“We commend Senator Boxer, Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, for forging ahead with this critical climate and energy legislation. With climate change already hurting millions of the most vulnerable people around the world and global negotiations in Copenhagen hanging in the balance, it was essential that this legislation move forward thoughtfully but quickly.

“Action must not be delayed on an issue that members from both sides of the aisle recognize as dire. This bill moves forward on a long-term vision of creating a cleaner world, spurring global economic growth, and building resilience to the serious impacts of climate change already being felt around the world.

“Because of Senator Boxer’s leadership, the bill improves emission reduction targets over the House-passed bill to 20 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2020 and takes a step to increase the funding for poor and vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change. While more finance is urgently needed to help the most at-risk developing countries cope with the effects of climate change, this bill recognizes the immediate importance of the adaptation challenge to foster global stability and poverty reduction worldwide.

“We look forward to working with the Senate to further improve the bill and increase support for adaptation efforts. All options should be explored to provide the substantial resources needed both on the ground and for success in the international negotiations.”

President Karzai’s new government must deliver on schools, midwives and police say aid agencies

jlee — 2009-11-09T19:30:18Z

The new Afghan government must urgently devote greater resources to building up to 6,000 new schools, training upwards of 5,000 new midwives, and professionalizing the police force, according to aid agencies working throughout Afghanistan. Their set of recommendations to the new Afghan administration also highlights the reforms needed in governance.

The recommendations, written by a group of national and international non-governmental organizations including Oxfam International, Cooperation Centre for Afghanistan (CCA), and Sanayee Development Organization (SDO), also call for the protection of civilians and securing the rights of women.

Mary Akrami, head of the Afghan Women’s Skills Development Centre (AWSDC), said: “Life expectancy is still only 43 years and in many areas the rate of maternal mortality is the highest in the world. Half of all schools in Afghanistan don’t have buildings. The country needs more health workers, more teachers, and better infrastructure. Afghans are desperate to see improvements in all these areas.”

Grace Ommer, head of Oxfam in Afghanistan, said: “Our recommendations are ambitious, given the increasing violence in Afghanistan. But they are not impossible. Over the last eight years, Afghanistan has made significant progress, enrolling more than six million children in primary school and expanding access to healthcare by 40 percent.”

“Positive change can happen in Afghanistan, but there must be political will in Kabul and long term support from the international community.”

The report suggests ensuring government appointments are made on merit and that human rights and criminal records are thoroughly checked. Access to equitable justice remains limited and despite modest improvements in the Afghan National Police, the force needs more reforms such as better oversight and improvements in pay.

Mirwais Wardak, Program Director for Cooperation for Peace and Unity (CPAU) said: “Afghans overwhelmingly want their government to deliver basic services and maintain law and order. But too much waste and inefficiency and a lack of access to justice has frustrated Afghans and undermined confidence in the government.”

The organizations called for international donors to improve transparency and provide complete information to help the Afghan government track and coordinate foreign aid, which funds around 80 percent of its budget.

Dr. Hamid Saljuqi, Director of Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (CHA), said: “The Afghan government faces immense challenges in making aid money work more effectively. Too often, aid delivery is opaque or distorted by the conflict, rather than being spent according to need. Donors should provide complete information about the aid they give and devote more funds to long-term projects that are aligned with the Afghan National Development Strategy.”

As the Afghan National Security Forces start to take on more military operations, protecting civilians should also be a priority for the new government. There should be more checks and balances to prevent abuses and to investigate abuses when they do occur. An autonomous forensic unit should be set up to address allegations that pro-government forces have killed or injured civilians.

The recommendations highlight the progress made for women since the fall of the Taliban while noting that many of these fragile and limited gains are in serious danger of being reversed. Oxfam said the government should secure the rights of women enshrined in the Afghan constitution. For example, by fully enforcing the Elimination of Violence Against Women act, which criminalizes rape and provides greater protection for female survivors of violence.

"Memo to the President: Key Recommendations to the Next Afghan Government."

Oxfam America Names New Leadership

jlee — 2009-11-03T19:43:57Z

WASHINGTON DC — International agency Oxfam America announced today that Ambassador Wendy Sherman, Vice Chair of Albright Stonebridge Group and Principal of Albright Capital Management, has been elected Chair of the Board and will assume the role starting November 1, 2010. She will follow current Chair, Janet McKinley, who will step down next year after five years. The Board also elected Barry D. Gaberman, a longtime Ford Foundation executive, to the position of Vice Chair. The organization announced that Paul O’Brien, who directs Oxfam’s Aid Effectiveness initiative, has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Policy and Advocacy.

Ambassador Sherman served as Counselor and chief troubleshooter for the State Department, as well as Special Advisor to President Clinton and Policy Coordinator on North Korea. From 1993 to 1996, under Secretary of State Warren Christopher, she was Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs. Previously, she was a partner in the political and media consulting firm of Doak, Shrum, Harris and Sherman, and also served as director of EMILY’s List. Ambassador Sherman began her career as a social worker and community organizer, working in community development and child welfare. She was recently named to the US Department of Defense’s Defense Policy Board. In 2008, she was appointed by Congressional leadership to serve on the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism. She is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Aspen Strategy Group and the US-India Strategic Dialogue.

Newly-elected Vice Chair Barry Gaberman retired from the Ford Foundation in 2006 after more than three decades of service there. During his tenure, Mr. Gaberman served in positions ranging from Assistant Program Office to Deputy Vice President for the U.S. to Senior Vice President of the organization. In addition, he has served on ten philanthropic boards. Since retiring, Mr. Gaberman has advised the Foundation Center and been a Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Gerhart Center on Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at American University in Cairo teaching a course he helped design on the role of philanthropy in society.

As Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Paul O’Brien will be responsible for Oxfam America’s development policy and campaign work with both the public and private sectors. The position oversees the DC office, the Private Sector Department and the agency’s organizing and alliance functions. Educated at University College Dublin and Harvard Law, Mr. O’Brien previously worked as CARE’s Africa Policy Advisor and as a US-funded advisor to the Afghan Government. Mr. O’Brien was chosen, in part, to strengthen the connection between on the ground field programs and Oxfam’s advocacy and campaign work.

Oxfam America President Raymond C. Offenheiser said, “Oxfam is very fortunate to have such talented and experienced leaders working with us to end poverty, hunger and injustice. With more than two billion people living on less than two dollars a day, we need nothing short of a global movement for change.”

EU-US must jump together on climate finance

jlee — 2009-11-02T20:20:34Z

Washington, DC — The US and EU must together get international climate change negotiations back on track, said international agency Oxfam ahead of the EU-US Summit tomorrow.

President Obama is due to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, European Commission President Jose Barroso, and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Tuesday to discuss climate change among other issues.

“This summit is the perfect chance for European leaders and President Obama to break the deadlock in negotiations” said Heather Coleman of Oxfam International. “With less than four weeks to go before Copenhagen, we cannot waste time on formalities. The world needs action.”

Real progress on climate finance is possible for the first time after European leaders, meeting in Brussels on Friday, outlined their proposal for how much public money should be made available to help poor countries tackle climate change. The lack of concrete figures on finance – a make or break issue in the talks – has stalled negotiations on climate finance for years.

“Poor communities around the world are on the front line of a climate crisis they did not create,” said Coleman. “Upwards of $150 billion a year of new money must be put on the table by wealthy countries — including the US and the EU — to help poor countries cope with the devastating impacts of climate change and reduce their emissions.”

Based on an analysis conducted by Oxfam of a fair share contribution to a global climate finance package based on responsibility for emissions responsibility and economic capability, the US and the EU must each provide at least $50 billion a year to developing countries to help them adapt to climate change impacts and pursue low-carbon futures. The money on the table from rich countries could make or break the global deal.

Oxfam repeated its warning that public climate financing flows to developing countries must be additional to existing aid commitments. “It would be scandalous to imagine poor countries being forced to choose between building flood defenses and building a hospital,” Coleman said.

At an important two-day summit in Brussels last week, the EU agreed that between €22-50 billion ($32-73 billion) is needed per year to help poor countries on the front line of climate change cope with its impacts and reduce their own emissions. The European Commission has indicated that the EU’s fair share of climate finance would be up to $15 billion ($22 billion) per year. This would fall far short of what is required – at best it is less than half the amount that is needed.

The situation is much less clear in the US as the US has not indicated the level of finance it believes is required, and a climate change bill still has to be passed in the US Congress.

“All eyes are now on the US to move decisively so it can go to Copenhagen as a global leader in the fight against climate change, not as a laggard,” said Coleman. “As both chambers of Congress come together to hear Chancellor Merkel’s address, they must also come together to pass an ambitious climate bill that gives President Obama the tools he needs to craft a deal in Copenhagen.”

The meetings are also taking place as international negotiators meet for the last time before Copenhagen in Barcelona, Spain. Oxfam called on the US to signal its commitment to the fight against climate change by upping its ambition on finance and emissions reductions, and for President Obama to personally get involved in the negotiations.

“We also hope President Obama will join thousands of negotiators and world leaders in Copenhagen in December to hammer out a global deal on climate change,” said Coleman. President Obama’s direct involvement in the negotiations is needed to shift the momentum towards a deal.”

World's biggest arms traders promise global arms treaty

jlee — 2009-10-30T18:54:14Z

On Friday at the United Nations, after years of discussions and debates, the vast majority of governments agreed to a timetable to establish a “strong and robust” Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with the “highest common standards” to control international transfers of conventional arms. There is currently no global treaty on the conventional arms trade.

Most of the world's biggest arms traders – including the USA - will now all back the UN process. Russia and China abstained from the vote on the UN resolution that moved discussions into the treaty negotiation phase but are expected to take part in the process. The Obama Administration’s decision to back the arms trade talks reverses the position of the Bush Administration who voted against the moving the UN process toward treaty negotiations multiple times. Zimbabwe was the only country to vote no on the resolution.

The Control Arms campaign – a coalition of hundreds of non-governmental organizations in more than 100 countries that has promoted the ATT - welcomed the historic breakthrough at the UN today and called on all states to negotiate a truly effective treaty. They warned that governments must keep up the momentum to ensure the final treaty has firm international standards for the global arms trade. Campaigners expressed reservations about the procedure planned for the UN conference which could give every state the right of veto over final decisions at the UN conference. They warned a small number of skeptical states must not be allowed to hijack the ATT process when it is clear the world wants a strong treaty.

“All countries participate in the conventional arms trade and share responsibility for the ‘collateral damage’ it produces – widespread death, injuries and human rights abuses,” said Rebecca Peters, director of the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA). “Now, finally, governments have agreed to negotiate legally binding global controls on this deadly trade.”

The agreement in the UN today means that the eventual ATT will be negotiated in a series of UN meetings concluding at a UN conference in 2012.

“The Arms Trade Treaty needs a ‘golden rule’ requiring governments to stop any proposed arms transfer that poses a substantial risk of being used for serious violations of human rights or war crimes,” said Brian Wood, Amnesty International's head of arms control. “Such a golden rule could save hundreds of thousands of lives and protect the livelihoods of many millions.”

The resolution on the ATT also highlights the issue of international arms transfers contributing to armed conflict, displacement of people, organized crime and terrorism, thereby undermining peace, safety, security and sustainable development.

“For too long, governments have let the flow of weapons get out of control causing pain, suffering and death in some of the world's poorest regions. With hundreds of thousands of people dying a year from armed violence, weapons that fall into the hands of criminals and rights abusers destroy communities and livelihoods.” said Anna Macdonald of Oxfam International. “Governments must ensure that negotiations live up to the promise of setting the highest possible standards - this is a life and death situation for thousands of poor people worldwide.”

Oxfam calls for radical shake-up of aid system to break cycle of hunger in Ethiopia

jlee — 2009-10-26T16:01:41Z

OXFORD, UK — International aid agency Oxfam today called for a radical shake-up in the way the world deals with food crises in Ethiopia and beyond. The agency rounded on what it called a “knee-jerk reaction” to food crises which is dominated by sending food aid. While the agency recognized that sending food aid does save lives, the dominance of this approach fails to offer long-term solutions which would break these cyclical and chronic crises.

In a report, “Band Aids and Beyond” published today to coincide with the 25^th anniversary of the Ethiopia famine, Oxfam says international donors need to adopt a new approach to humanitarian disasters which focuses on preparing communities to prevent and deal with disasters such as drought before they strike, rather than relying mainly on short-term emergency relief, such as imported food aid.

Twenty-five years ago Ethiopia was struck by one of the worst famines in its history. An estimated one million people died and millions more suffered from extreme hunger and malnutrition. Today, millions in Ethiopia and across East Africa are facing severe food and water shortages after years of poor rains. It is estimated that drought costs Ethiopia $1.1bn a year—almost eclipsing the total annual overseas assistance to the country.

Currently, 70 percent of humanitarian aid to Ethiopia comes from the United States. Out of the $3.2 bn of US humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia since 1991, 94 percent has been in the form of food aid – almost all of it sourced from within the US rather than purchased locally or regionally. Most US food aid has conditions applied to transport and packaging, which can cost up to $2 of US taxpayers’ money to deliver $1 of food aid.

Penny Lawrence, International Director for Oxfam, who has just returned from visiting Oxfam projects in Ethiopia, said:

“We cannot make the rains come, but there is much more that we can do to break the cycle of drought driven disaster in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Food aid offers temporary relief and has kept people alive in countless situations, but does not tackle the underlying causes that continue to make people vulnerable to disaster year-after-year.

“Donors need to shift their approach, and help to give communities the tools to tackle disasters before they strike. Drought does not need to mean hunger and destitution. If communities have irrigation for crops, grain stores, and wells to harvest rains then they can survive despite what the elements throw at them.”

It is essential that donors rise to the challenge and provide adequate funding for emergency assistance for this year’s crisis—current response by international donors is far below requirements estimated by Governments and UN agencies. But in this report, Oxfam argues that it is equally essential that donors do more to back programs that manage the risk of the disaster before it strikes, such as early warning systems, creating strategically positioned stockpiles of food, medicine and other items, and irrigation programs.

For instance, in Somali region Oxfam is building birkhads, or protected wells, to enable communities to ‘harvest’ rain during the rainy season to make sure there is more water available nearby when the rains stop. These types of programs receive just 0.14 percent of overseas aid. Yet, the agency says, that it is a more sustainable approach, as the emergency response is designed to contribute to development and keep communities safer in the years to come. This approach is cost-effective: for every $1 invested in this approach, $2-4 are returned in terms of avoided or reduced disaster impacts.

The call for donors to shift their approach comes as Ethiopia faces ever-greater threats from natural disasters. Climate scientists predict that by 2034, the 50^th anniversary of the 1984 Ethiopia famine, what are now droughts will become the norm, hitting the region three years out of every four. A shift of approach is needed to prevent climate shocks developing into disasters which will push more people into poverty.

Lawrence said: “Climate change makes the urgency of this approach greater than ever before. Ethiopians on the frontline of climate change cannot wait another 25 years for common sense to become common practice.”

Exposed: Groundbreaking report details climate change hotspots in US Southeast

jlee — 2009-10-26T16:03:07Z

WASHINGTON, DC — A number of "hotspots" of vulnerability to climate-related hazards exist in the US southeast, according to a new groundbreaking study released today by Oxfam America. The report, "Exposed: Social Vulnerability and Climate Change in the US Southeast," is the first of its kind to combine hazards associated with climate change with social variables, revealing the people and places that will most likely to be hit worst by climate change.

"Climate change will impact everyone, but not everyone will be impacted equally," said Oxfam America President Raymond C. Offenheiser. "Social factors like income and race do not determine who will be hit by a natural disaster, but they do determine a population’s ability to prepare, respond, and recover when disaster does strike. This report will serve as a critical tool to help us identify especially vulnerable communities and invest wisely in their climate resiliency and preparedness."

The study covers 13 states in the US southeast from Arkansas to Virginia, measuring the underlying social and demographic characteristics of populations and how some of those characteristics negatively affect their ability to cope with climate change-related hazards, such as flooding, drought,hurricane force winds and sea-level rise. Poverty is deepest in the rural South where more than one in four people live in counties with persistent poverty, and it is therefore one of the country’s most socially vulnerable regions to climate change.

"We have already seen that climate-related disasters hit some populations worse than others," said Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP. "From drought in western Alabama to hurricanes in Louisiana, this research is instrumental in helping to identify those areas that are most vulnerable, so that we can better prepare and help before disaster hits."

The study was conducted using the Social Vulnerability Index and overlaying it with data of climate change-related hazards. The tool was developed by Dr. Susan Cutter and Dr. Christopher Emrich at the Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute at the University of South Carolina.

"While the USGS was not involved in the Oxfam report, our recent work revealed very similar findings about vulnerability hotspots in the Southeast," said US Geological Survey scientist Virginia Burkett. "It is vitally important that we understand vulnerabilities at a regional and local scale so that they can be incorporated into future risk assessments and adaptation planning. Our decisions today will determine the severity of climate change impacts in the future."

"Climate change is happening and it’s affecting the poor—socially and economically vulnerable communities—first. As climate change increases and intensifies floods, storms, and heat waves, many of the world’s poorest communities, from Biloxi to Bangladesh, will experience unprecedented stress," said Offenheiser. "Congress must act now to address climate change and invest in the resiliency of poor communities on the frontlines of climate change at home and abroad."