Press releases http://www.oxfamamerica.org These are the search results for the query, showing results 121 to 135. New campaign urges United States to agree to a binding and robust Arms Trade Treaty http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/new-campaign-urges-united-states-to-agree-to-a-binding-and-robust-arms-trade-treaty Washington, DC – International relief and development organization Oxfam America joined a number of other groups in an international day of action today urging the Obama administration to push for and agree to a strong and robust global Arms Trade Treaty. The day of action is just days before the United States and more than 150 countries gather at the United Nations to negotiate the text of the treaty.

While the United States and a few other countries have tough regulations governing the international trade of arms, many countries have weak or ineffective regulations, if they have any at all. In fact, in 2010, only 90 of the world’s governments reported having basic national controls on the import of small arms and light weapons. An arms trade treaty would require countries to adopt strong laws that would govern the flow of arms in and out of their borders and prevent weapons from reaching the hands of warlords and human rights abusers.

“There is more international law governing the trade of bananas than the trade of AK-47s, and that’s simply bananas!” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America. “A massive and poorly regulated global trade in arms and ammunition continues to threaten the security and rights of millions of people around the world, exposing them to death, rape, assault and displacement. This global problem requires a global solution: a legally binding arms trade treaty.”

To cap more than a decade of hard work pushing for a global treaty, Oxfam’s new effort includes a front cover wrap in the Washington Post Express, an online action to President Obama and a stunt in front of the United Nations on July 2nd, among other activities.

“For too long, we have witnessed the conflict the illicit arms trade feeds and the deaths caused each day by small arms are only the tip of the tragedy,” said Offenheiser. “With our campaign, we are reminding the United States and other world leaders they have a rare opportunity to make the world a safer place.”

Oxfam’s efforts coincide with the efforts of other groups, from the American Values Network to Amnesty International.

“From faith leaders to retired generals, the chorus advocating for the arms trade treaty is getting louder each day,” continued Offenheiser. “The Arms Trade Treaty offers a common-sense solution and the time to act is now.”

An effective and legally binding treaty would restrict transfers when there is a substantial risk that arms could be used to undermine peace and stability in a country, commit serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, or slow initiatives aimed at reducing poverty. It would also close the loopholes in the current system by establishing the highest possible international legal standards for the import, export, and transfer of conventional weapons such as AK-47’s, and ammunition. Lastly, it would promote transparency and accountability in the international arms market and not infringe on Second Amendment rights.

Notes to editors:

PDF’s and JPEGs are available and the full text of the Express ad is as follows:

[Page 1]
There is more intentional law governing the trade of bananas than the trade of AK-47s. When you peel back the facts, what do you get? Slippery standards that lead to war crimes, displacement, and poverty. More than 2,000 people die every day from armed violence. The US must support a robust international arms trade treaty that would create strong trade rules and save lives.
Agree to the Arms Trade Treaty.
oxfamamerica.org/armstreaty

[Page 2]
There are no international laws governing the global arms trade. That’s simply bananas!
While the US has strong laws controlling the arms trade, less than half of all countries have even basic laws on the trade in AK-47s and similar weapons. It is time for a global arms trade treat to close the loopholes and prevent atrocities.

Blog Post: What's the deal with bananas and the global arms trade?

Online Action
Agree to the Arms Trade Treaty

Additional Resources

]]> No publisher jforres 2012-06-27T13:40:52Z Press Release Congress pressures SEC's Schapiro to finalize overdue oil transparency and conflict minerals regulations http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/congress-pressures-secs-schapiro-to-finalize-overdue-oil-transparency-and-conflict-minerals-regulations Washington, DC – International aid and relief organization Oxfam America praised the move of 58 prominent members of Congress to increase pressure on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today, by sending SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro a letter urging the agency to issue final rules for Section 1504 (the “Cardin-Lugar” provision) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act immediately.

Under Section 1504, companies are required to disclose in their annual SEC reports all payments made to either the United States or a foreign government, at the project-level, for the extraction of oil and minerals. The SEC has delayed the rule-making process for more than a year, missing the statutory deadline of April 16, 2011 set by Congress.

“The financial transparency and regulation promised by the Dodd-Frank Act are more important than ever, and Congress is rightly demanding that the promise of the Cardin-Lugar provision be fulfilled by the SEC,” said Ian Gary, senior policy manager of Oxfam America’s oil, gas and mining program. “New discoveries of oil and minerals, such as in East Africa, are being announced almost every week and quick implementation of this provision will help ensure that these countries build on a foundation of transparency.”

The letter demands the SEC issue final rules on the Cardin-Lugar provision, as well as the conflict minerals provision, Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act.

“These two proposed rules take the issues of secret payments and the use of conflict minerals out of the shadows and into the open, making it possible to fight corruption, increase government accountability and help end the resource curse in developing countries,” highlighted the letter. “The SEC has a history of unmet promises regarding the completion of these rules” and “the issue is too serious to allow further delay.”

“We have been patient but for those living on less than $2 dollars in resource-rich countries, there’s no time left to wait,” continued Gary. “We join these members of Congress to urge Chairman Schapiro to schedule a vote on the final rule now.”

The Congressional letter comes as Senators Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) and Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) weigh in on the battle being fought on the other side of the Atlantic, where oil and mining companies are fighting a draft European Union law similar to Section 1504. To express their appreciation for adopting similar requirements in Europe, the Senators sent a letter to European Commissioners that emphasized the SEC’s mandate to follow the letter of the law.

“As Senators, we assure you that the SEC does not have the authority to remove or change the basic requirements of the law,” said the letter, which also enclosed a copy of the law.

Both letters follow letters from prominent Senators and House members from February and March urging the SEC to “resist” pressure from oil companies, which have been lobbying the Commission to water down the rule.

On May 16, Oxfam America filed a lawsuit against the SEC for unlawfully delaying the issuance of a final rule for Section 1504. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts and asks the court to order the SEC to issue a final rule as required by law. “Oxfam America is simply asking the SEC to follow the law,” Gary said.

Notes to Editor:


The letter was signed by Edward J. Markey, Barney Frank, Howard L. Berman, Jim McDermott, Maxine Waters, Henry A. Waxman, Frank R Wolf, Louise M Slaughter, Dennis J Kucinich, James P Moran, Charles B Rangel, Steve Cohen, Andrew Carson, Michael M Honda, William Lacy Clay, Melvin Watt, John A Yarmuth, Fortney Pete Stark, Barbara Lee, George Miller, Gregory W. Meeks, Raul M. Grijalva, Brad Miller, Brad Sherman, John Olver, Eleanor Holmes Norton, John Conyers, Jr., Carolyn B. Maloney, Gwen Moore, Theodore Deutch, Keith Ellison, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Earl Blumenauer, James P. McGovern, John Lewis, Janice D. Schakowsky, Betty McCollum, Bob Filner, Jose E. Serrano, Anna G. Eshoo, Peter Welch, Michael E. Cupuano, Corrine Brown, Jerrold Nadler, Jackie Speier, Edolphus Towns, Frederica S. Wilson, Maurice D. Hinchey, John B. Larson, Carolyn McCarthy, Louis Capps, John Garamendi, Charles A. Gonzalex, Sam Farr, Karen Bass, Henry C. "Hank" Johnson Jr., Mazie K Hirono, Suzanne Bonamici.

 

 

]]> No publisher jforres 2012-06-25T14:46:34Z Press Release Oxfam reaction to Senate Farm Bill passage http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/oxfam-reaction-to-senate-farm-bill-passage In response to the passage of the Farm Bill in the US Senate, Gawain Kripke, director of policy and research for Oxfam America, said:

“The Senate Farm Bill takes positive steps to reform international food aid programs. We commend Chairman Stabenow and Ranking Senator Roberts for their leadership to ensure that the tiny sliver of Farm Bill funds that go to international food aid has the greatest impact possible. These programs save millions of lives, and improving them will save many more. We urge leaders in the House of Representatives to take up these modest, bipartisan reforms to cut waste and help save lives.

“Overall, the Farm Bill continues to create serious problems by subsidizing big agribusiness at the expense of poor farmers and taxpayers. We are encouraged by the overwhelming passage of Senator Grassley’s amendment to limit payments on marketing loans; and the Senate bill’s elimination of countercyclical payments and higher loan rates offer bright spots in an otherwise uninspiring picture. Marketing loans and deficiency payments are the most market-distorting commodity subsidies. By limiting proceeds and loan rates, the Senate bill protects tax dollars and contributes to a fairer market for poor farmers in developing countries.

“A major outstanding issue that the Senate Farm Bill does not resolve is the violation of WTO agreements, as established by the cotton case brought by Brazil.  Unless the final Farm Bill does more to reform cotton subsidies, the controversy will continue and could result in economic retaliation by Brazil, as authorized by the WTO.”

Grassley amendment #2167 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:SP02167:

Food Aid reforms in the Senate bill include:

1. The pilot program created in the 2008 Farm Bill to study the effectiveness of purchasing food aid locally and regionally will be continued as a full program with modestly increased funding to $40 million per year.

2. Efforts are made to reduce the “monetization” of food aid whereby food aid is dumped on developing country markets, a wasteful way to raise funds for long term development projects.  The bill cuts the level of funding for “monetization” which will save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and make aid programs more effective.

/ENDS

]]> No publisher bgrossmancohen 2012-06-21T20:15:31Z Press Release Oxfam America welcomes new U.S. strategy for sub-Saharan Africa http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/oxfam-america-welcomes-new-u.s.-strategy-for-sub-saharan-africa Oxfam America welcomes President Obama’s new strategy for sub-Saharan Africa released on Thursday and looks forward to working with the Administration to implement its vision.  The strategy focuses on four main pillars of strengthening democratic institutions, spurring economic growth, trade and investment, advancing peace and security in the region and promoting opportunity and development.  It represents further acknowledgment of this Administration’s policy that Africa's future is up to Africans and should help the US to live up to this ideal in its dealings with the continent.

Oxfam America applauds the emphasis of the President's new strategy on security partnerships and building civilian protection capabilities in the document’s peace and security pillar.  For it to be truly "new," however, this strategy needs to set a new course that places the security needs of Africans front and center.  Communities in Africa need real security, delivered by military and police forces with a deep-rooted accountability to the people they serve.  The President’s new strategy articulates these principles, but we are concerned that the US will focus instead on training and equipping forces to fight terrorism and insurgencies, as it often has in the past.

“All the weapons and tactical know-how in the world won’t provide security unless armed forces and police have an abiding commitment to the rule of law and deep respect for human rights,” Oxfam America’s Senior Policy Advisor for Humanitarian Response, Scott Paul, said.

The new strategy rightly highlights the importance of transparency in helping to curb corruption and support citizens groups working to ensure that the continent’s natural resource wealth is used to promote the well-being of all of Africa’s citizens, rather than lining the pockets of a small elite. In addition to home-grown efforts, the U.S. has an important contribution to make by fully implementing final regulations for the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act provision on oil and mining payment disclosure, Oxfam America said.

“The Securities and Exchange Commission must issue final revenue transparency regulations and implement the law now. Doing so will shed light on the billions of dollars generated by oil, gas and mining projects and will put information into the public domain where progress under voluntary initiatives is weak or non-existent,” said Ian Gary, Oxfam America’s Senior Policy Manager for Extractive Industries.

As the new strategy signals, the private sector can and should play a positive role in the development process as the primary engine of broad-based economic growth.  In order for such growth to be truly broad-based, it must reach the poorest of the poor, as poverty is fundamentally tied to marginalization and power disparities.  Long-term development solutions require systemic approaches to markets, cutting across government, business (especially local firms and smallholder farmers), and civil society.

“However, we should be clear that US and African governments must not pass the buck to the private sector:  they have a responsibility to continue public resources to deliver on their end of the deal,” Gregory Adams, Oxfam America’s Director of Aid Effectiveness said.

The strategy emphasizes promoting resilience and adaptation to the impact of climate change under the pillar of promoting opportunity and growth.  This is crucial as is the promise of continued U.S. prioritization of food security on the continent.  As the government implements this strategy, a focus on supporting small-scale farming particularly by women will be key as will support for the recently-agreed global Voluntary Guidelines for Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Forests and Fisheries.

//ENDS

]]> No publisher swheeler 2012-06-18T21:01:14Z Press Release Eurozone breakup would cost poorest countries $30 billion http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/eurozone-breakup-would-cost-poorest-countries-30-billion A Eurozone breakup could cost the world’s poorest countries $30 billion in lost trade and foreign investment, international relief and development organization Oxfam has warned ahead of the G20 leaders meeting in Mexico to discuss the state of the global economy.

Many poor countries would be pulled into a vicious spiral of falling export earnings, damaging their economies and putting pressure on already limited resources for essential health and education services. $30 billion is almost a quarter of the global aid budget, and represents an additional burden on poor countries at a time when 18 million people in West Africa are at risk of a looming food crisis. Donors have so far failed to come up with adequate funding to help those going hungry.

“G20 leaders need to remember that the consequences of economic crisis are felt most acutely by poor countries that are already facing major impacts from volatile food prices and aid cuts,” said Gawain Kripke, research and policy director for Oxfam America. “The Eurocrisis is a grave threat and the G20 has a responsibility to prevent poor people from being punished for problems they did nothing to create.”

Oxfam’s calculations are that if the Euro breaks up, the resulting drop in European countries’ GDP would mean a loss of income for Least Developed Countries – most of these in Sub-Saharan Africa - of up to $20 billion in revenue from exports to Europe in the year following the breakup. Poor countries could expect to lose a further $10 billion due to reduced investment from the continent. A collapse of the Eurozone would exacerbate the problems already facing low-income countries, including food shortages, failing aid and reduced capital flows as a result of the economic crisis.

Oxfam is calling on the G20 to show strong support for a financial transaction tax (FTT, know in many countries as a Robin Hood Tax) to help poor people hit by the economic crisis. The European Commission has proposed a Europe-wide FTT that would raise $71 billion a year. The G20 also needs to take urgent action on issues which help drive social vulnerability by curbing financial speculation on food commodities, reversing biofuels policies that transform food into fuel and improving land rights.

“The G20 must make a concerted effort to address the economic and food crises that have left one in seven people in the world hungry,” said Kripke. “The financial sector should work in the interests of society not the other way around: that means curbing food speculation and insisting the sector which bears responsibility for the economic crisis helps poor people who have been trapped by it.”

Three years ago, the G20 launched a framework for “strong, sustainable and balanced growth”. They will meet in Los Cabos having delivered little for people most at risk of losing their livelihoods and most likely to be pushed into poverty.

Gross capital flows to developing countries plunged to $170 billion last year compared with $309 billion in 2010 and aid to developing countries fell by $3.4 billion last year.

“The European crisis goes beyond just Europe,” said Kripke.  “G20 leaders must use their power to deal with these issues in a way that addresses more than the needs of the wealthiest and most powerful.”

Oxfam is calling on the G20 to:

  • Take action to fix the broken food system. The G20 persists in failing to address the most important drivers of the food price crisis: increased demand for biofuels, financial speculation on commodities, and climate change. Most urgently, 18 million people in the Sahel now face a severe food shortage. This is on top of the nearly billion worldwide who already go hungry.
  • Clamp down on tax dodging and improving tax transparency. Developing countries are losing billions every year that would provide a vital boost to their economies and could be spent on reducing poverty. So far the G20’s promise to crack down on tax havens has largely failed to materialize.
  • Raise money for increased public spending and support to the poorest introducing a carbon price on international shipping, which would help to cut emissions and in the process raise $25 billionn a year.
  • Concentrate on ensuring that growth is fair and boosts equality, so that its benefits reach people living in poverty. As a first step G20 countries must publicly and annually report progress on reducing inequality and make inequality reduction a measure of progress alongside GDP growth. They should task the IMF with doing this.
  • Support increased investment in high-quality public health and education services.  These are crucial safety nets for the poorest and those falling on hard times, as well as crucial investments in future productivity and a fairer society.

/Ends

Notes to editors

Oxfam’s calculation on the monetary cost of a euro zone total break up on LDCs used three data sources:

  1. A scenario by ING on the economic impact (measured as GDP fall) in the euro zone. The total drop in output for 2 years is 12 percent. During the first year after the break up, the loss would be 8.9 percent (this economic contraction would be worse than what happened after the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008). Source: EMU Break-up. Pay Now, Pay Later. ING Global Economics 1 December 2011
  2. A time series of the trade matrix between the euro zone and Least Developed Countries (48 countries as defined by the United Nations). This information is available in the UNCTAD Stat website under International Trade. Also, the time series of foreign direct investment in LDCs. Source: http://unctadstat.unctad.org/
  3. The time series of GDP (real and nominal) from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators. Source: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD

Trade data shows a sharp reversal of LDCs exports to the world and the euro zone in 2009. The total value of exports from LDC to the Euro zone fell by 30 percent in 2009. This represented a loss of 10 billion dollars in export income for LDCs from one year to the next. This occurred when GDP (in real terms) in the Euro zone fell by around 4 percent.  The reversal was so large that LDC exports of goods in 2010 were still below the 2008 level.
ING has detailed a scenario where GDP in the Euro zone could fall by 8.9 percent in 2013 if the euro breaks up. A quick and rough calculation - using the 2009 crisis as reference – suggests that LDC countries could lose around 20 billion dollar in income from exports to the Euro zone alone.
A similar calculation on foreign direct investment suggests an additional loss in income of 10 billion dollars. Foreign Direct Investment to LDCs fell by 20 percent in 2009 - from 32.3 to 26.4 billion - in the aftermath of the Lehman collapse. A euro collapse could mean a decrease in FDI flows of 10-11 billion to LDCs.

  • Gross capital flows to developing countries plunged to $170 billion last year compared with $309 billion in 2010, according to the World Bank’s 2012 ‘Global Economic Prospects’ report.
  • The least developed countries (LDCs) are a group of countries that have been identified by the UN as "least developed" in terms of their low gross national income (GNI), their weak human assets and their high degree of economic vulnerability. There are 48 countries currently on the UN’s LDCs list. (Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, the Central  African Republic, Chad, the Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,  Ethiopia, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho,  Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome  and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Yemen and Zambia.)
  • Latest OECD figures show aid from rich countries was $133bn in 2011 - a real terms fall of $3.4bn.
  • A group of G20 countries – Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany and South Africa - backed an FTT for development and climate change at the Cannes summit in November. It followed a report from Bill Gates which backed the policy.
]]> No publisher bgrossmancohen 2012-06-15T14:18:05Z Press Release In the Sahel region, resilience can save lives http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/in-the-sahel-region-resilience-can-save-lives As international leaders gather in Brussels on Monday for a High Level Consultation on the Sahel food crisis, more than 18 million people are already at risk. In anticipation of this opportunity to address the emergency and invest in drought resilience, Raymond C. Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America, said:

“This meeting comes at a critical juncture – communities across seven Sahel countries are set to enter the peak of the food crisis. The first priority must be to fill the funding gap. Many governments in the region have taken the lead in developing response plans and donors have responded, including the United States with a $308 million contribution. But the UN estimates that nearly one billion dollars are still needed to provide immediate life-saving aid. The United States must stand alongside other donors in bridging this critical funding gap.

“The meeting also offers an opportunity to develop a concrete plan to help smallholder food producers rebuild their livelihoods and prepare for the next planting season. Drought is not a new problem in the Sahel, and we know it’s not going away. What farmers and pastoralists need more than anything are sustainable solutions to build a better future for their families. The leaders coming together on Monday must prioritize resilience strategies that reduce the vulnerability of communities to shocks such as drought.

“The United States has shown strong leadership in East Africa on the issue of resilience – working with communities to strengthen their ability to prepare for and respond to climate-related shocks. Now it’s time to rally the international leaders around the table to do the same for the Sahel region and break the cycle of drought and hunger. The EU’s plan for a Partnership for Resilience in the Sahel is an important step toward making this happen.

“As the leaders discuss how a new regional partnership for resilience will be developed, civil society must be active partners in the process. At the most practical level, resilience projects – like investing in small farmers, scaling-up safety nets, and developing a system of food reserves – simply cannot happen without strong support and partnership in the local communities. Civil society is not only a key partner in the success of food security projects, but also a powerful voice to hold national governments accountable for following through on these policies.

“The Conference must also address the current political situation in Mali. Political instability and insecurity are complicating an already difficult response. Reaching those most in need must be prioritized. Donors must lay out a clear plan to restart long-term aid to Mali – assistance that is critical to tackle the underlying conditions that have led to the current spike in hunger in Mali and across the Sahel.”

]]> No publisher mhart 2012-06-15T15:00:16Z Press Release Louisiana First legislation connects local workers to protection and restoration jobs http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/louisiana-first-legislation-connects-local-workers-to-protection-and-restoration-jobs Baton Rouge, LA – International relief and development organization Oxfam America praised Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal for signing the “Louisiana First Hiring Act” into law, encouraging employers to seek Louisiana workers in the state’s coastal restoration and protection projects. The new law opens a window of economic opportunity to local workers in projects planned under the state’s newly approved the $50 billion Coastal Master Plan for flood protection and ecosystem restoration, while providing important data on hiring, job trends and training to help provide businesses with a better prepared Louisiana workforce. 

Louisiana’s coastal projects are expected to receive a boost from BP Oil Spill resources and funding under the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process and the proposed RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act, which is now being considered in the US Congress. The spill and coastal land loss have harmed communities and industries like the fisheries, and these new resources promise to provide new economic opportunities for working families. In the effort to strengthen the coastal economy and support economic development, a diverse coalition of legislators and community groups worked with the Louisiana legislature to pass the “Louisiana First” bill.

“This innovative approach looks beyond the environmental and engineering challenges of Louisiana’s coastal land loss and recovery from the oil spill, focusing on the heart of the problem: the coastal communities and working families at risk,” said Minor Sinclair, US Regional Director of Oxfam America. “The challenge is to tackle the environmental risks while we revitalize the local economy and life of these communities as they adapt. This bill will put people back to work as the Master Plan proceeds, helping ensure the economic vitality of these vulnerable communities.”

Under the law, coastal restoration or protection contractors will outline employment plans once the contract has been awarded. The plan may include such items as types of jobs involved in a project; skill level required; wage information; how the contractor will recruit disadvantaged, low wage and unemployed applicants. The Louisiana Workforce Commission can then use this information to offer better services to employers to line up qualified applicants, or coordinate efforts to begin training workers for available jobs through its local workforce investment boards and partners.

“I'm proud to be part of this landmark legislation which protects jobs for Louisiana residents,” said District 91 State Representative Walter "Walt" J. Leger, III (D-New Orleans) who advocated for the legislation. “This legislation will strengthen our communities by making sure federal disaster dollars that come to Louisiana are spent here, creating real jobs across the entire state.”

“Business owners are invested in the health of our communities, and are eager to use local workforce where practical,” said Scott Kirkpatrick, President of Coast Builders Coalition. “This legislation should improve the interaction between contractors and the Louisiana Workforce Commission.”

New research from Mather Economics this week indicates the RESTORE Act would create as many as 58,000 jobs, including many coastal restoration and protection jobs in Louisiana. The Louisiana First bill will help coastal residents have access to higher than average wages and will create  opportunities for economic mobility in high-growth industries and occupations.

“Louisiana is facing some big problems, but we also have a great opportunity with this money from the RESTORE Act coming along,” said Clint Guidry, President of the Louisiana Shrimp Association. “And this bill helps move us toward so many goals: by employing local people, especially in restoration projects, we revitalize our local economy and preserve our historical fishing communities. We thank Louisiana’s leaders for making this a reality.”

“This is a major victory for the region,” said Telley Madina, Coastal Communities Program Officer for Oxfam America, based in Louisiana. “Louisiana is so often among the last to get resources. Great thanks go to the delegation from the Coast who helped move the legislation along.”

 

]]> No publisher jlee 2012-06-11T20:20:20Z Press Release World Bank allows mining company lawsuit against El Salvador to move forward http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/world-bank-allows-mining-company-lawsuit-against-el-salvador-to-move-forward Washington, DC – International relief and development organization Oxfam America is disappointed by the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) ruling in favor of Pacific Rim, a Canadian mining company that sued the country of El Salvador for failing to issue an environmental permit to mine for gold. The company claimed that the government’s failure to issue an environment permit violated El Salvador’s foreign investment law.

“We are very disappointed by (ICSID’s) decision to rule against El Salvador. It goes against the views the Salvadoran people who are overwhelmingly against mining,” said Keith Slack, manager of Oxfam America’s oil, gas and mining program. “We are concerned that the continued presence of Pacific Rim in El Salvador will contribute to further human rights abuses. We urge Pacific Rim not to pursue this case and to listen to the voice of the Salvadoran people.”

The jurisdictional ruling means that the case will now move forward into the merits phase, which may take several years to decide. Pacific Rim also filed a parallel lawsuit, claiming that El Salvador violated the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), however the World Bank agency rejected their claim.

This David versus Goliath story began in the rural area of Cabañas, El Salvador in 2002, when Pacific Rim began exploring for gold. In 2004, the company applied for a required “exploitation permit” to start mining. However, the government refused to issue a permit since the application lacked three out of the five elements required under Salvadoran law.

A year later, CAFTA went into effect and by December 2007, the company reincorporated in Nevada and shortly after launched their suit under CAFTA, using an extremely controversial procedure under which corporations can sue governments for allegedly violating their rights as foreign investors. At the same time, the company filed another claim under El Salvador’s investment law. On Friday, the World Bank’s ICSID rejected Pacific Rim’s claim under CAFTA but accepted the company’s parallel claim under El Salvador’s foreign investment law.

“The Salvadoran government has recognized that not all foreign investment is good for the country,” said Slack. “The ruling undermines the government’s ability to protect its citizens and the environment.”

A number of mining activists have suffered human rights violations since Pacific Rim began exploration activities in 2002. The most recent occurred last June when Francisco Durán Ayala, a student who disappeared after posting flyers as part of a campaign against the mining company, was found in a soccer field a day later with two gunshots in the head. His killing is believed to be linked to his mining activism. Many of the community members such as Ayala along with local groups believe the mine will contaminate local water supplies and ruin their ability to grow crops; independent studies have confirmed their concerns.

]]> No publisher jforres 2012-06-05T15:05:22Z Press Release Companies urged to disclose climate threats to bottom line http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/companies-urged-to-disclose-climate-threats-to-bottom-line On the eve of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, Calvert Investments, Ceres and Oxfam America released a new guide today for companies to improve their analysis and management of the risks that climate change poses to their operations and supply chains.  The groups also urged better transparency and disclosure from companies on the threats they face because of increasingly frequent and severe climate impacts.

"As a long-term investor, it's important to know how companies are factoring the far-reaching impacts of climate change into their planning and risk management," said Maryland State Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp, who chairs the $36 billion Maryland State Employees and Teachers Pension Fund and spoke at a news conference today announcing the disclosure guide. "This report is an invaluable tool on climate risk disclosure companies should be providing, especially in regard to physical risks in operations and supply chains."

The newly released guide, “Physical Risks from Climate Change: A guide for companies and investors on disclosure and management of climate impacts,” focuses on companies in the agriculture, food and beverage, apparel, electric power, insurance, mining, oil and gas, and tourism sectors, all of which are highly vulnerable to climate impacts. The guide provides detailed checklists that companies should use to assess, manage and disclose physical risks they face from climate change.

“Climate change is already causing costly physical impacts for communities and the companies and investors that depend on them,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of relief and development organization Oxfam America. “As hurricane season looms, companies must begin to understand, plan for and disclose to investors the ways in which climate change is likely to affect their bottom lines.”

The impacts of climate change on companies’ supply chains, natural resources, operations and key infrastructure are expected to worsen as a result of increasing temperatures, changing weather pat¬terns, and more frequent and intense droughts, floods and storms. The year 2011 set records for economic losses and insured losses caused by natural catastrophes, with extreme weather events accounting for 90 percent of the disasters and 8 of the 10 most costly.

Among the specific, physical impacts that US businesses felt from last year’s extreme weather events:

•    More than 160 companies in Thailand’s textile industry were harmed by the 2011 floods, stopping about a quarter of the country’s garment production, much of it for US companies,
•    Electric power company Constellation Energy experienced reduced quarterly earnings of about $.0.16 per share due to the record-setting 2011 heat wave in Texas that forced it to buy incremental power at peak prices.
•    Last year’s drought in Texas also caused more than $2 billion of cotton losses, raising prices and limiting supplies for apparel companies that source from the state.
•    U.S. property insurers experienced some $32 billion in insured damage losses last year, second only to losses in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Much of last year’s damage occurred away from the coast, including hurricane-driven storms in Vermont, wildfires in Texas and hailstorms in Arizona.

Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres and director of the $10 trillion Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) said, “Virtually every sector faces climate risks and opportunities, and investors can’t afford for those risks to remain opaque. The guidelines in this report shed light on how businesses should analyze and quantify physical risks from climate change so that investors can make informed decisions.”

"This report demonstrates the tangible risks of severe climate events to companies across industries as never before", said Bennett Freeman, senior vice president, sustainability research and policy at Calvert Investments. "Companies that do not address climate risk are sharing that risk with their investors, while investors will gain value from companies with the foresight to adapt."

The guide also provides investors with advice on the types of information they should seek and expect of companies in order to manage portfolio risks related to climate change impacts. It builds on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) formal guidance issued in 2010 on how companies should disclose climate change risks in their financial filings. Dozens of investors, many of them part of the Ceres-led Investor Network on Climate Risk, had petitioned the SEC requesting the climate disclosure guidance.

/ENDS

Notes to editors:

To download the full report: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/publications/physical-risks-from-climate-change

]]> No publisher bgrossmancohen 2012-05-31T14:24:39Z Press Release Ammunition trade tops $4bn yet little regulation to control and keep track of who bullets are sold to, says Oxfam http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/ammunition-trade-tops-4bn-yet-little-regulation-to-control-and-keep-track-of-who-bullets-are-sold-to-says-oxfam Global sales of ammunition are worth more than $4bn and are growing at a faster rate than trade in guns, yet there is virtually no regulation in place to control where the bullets end up, according to the international organization Oxfam, in a new report today.

The report, 'Stop a Bullet, Stop a War,' has been published ahead of this summer's Arms Trade Treaty negotiations in New York, where diplomats from around the world will gather to try and hammer out a new global agreement to regulate the trade of weapons and ammunition.

Some countries, including the United States, Syria and Egypt, have recently voiced their opposition to including ammunition in the final treaty text. But Oxfam believes it is essential  that the sale of ammunition is covered by the new agreement, given the devastating impact that the illicit and irresponsible arms trade has on the lives of some of the poorest people in the world, particularly those living in conflict-hit or fragile states such as Afghanistan and Somalia.

Scott Stedjan Senior Policy Advisor for Humanitarian Response at Oxfam America, said: “Guns are useless without bullets; bullets are what turn guns into lethal weapons. It is absolutely essential that the sale of ammunition is included in the treaty and it is far better regulated. It would be totally irrational to leave it out.

“The trade in ammunition is lucrative; but while the monetary cost of production is low, the price paid in human lives for the trade in ammunition is incalculable. An Arms Trade Treaty which doesn’t include the trade in bullets doesn’t make sense.”

Oxfam’s report reveals how poor regulation of the ammunition trade makes it virtually impossible to put an accurate figure on the number of bullets currently being produced and transferred across the world each year, though estimates hover at around the 12bn mark – enough to kill nearly every man, woman and child on the planet twice.

The trade in ammunition for small arms is worth $4.3bn per year, while the trade in firearms and light weapons themselves is worth $2.68bn (Small Arms Survey figures).

Oxfam says only a minority of countries report on their ammunition exports and there is hardly any monitoring by intergovernmental agencies covering this trade. To make matters worse, data on ammunition is often not listed separately and is just added to data on general arms exports, making it hard to monitor the bullets’ final destination.

Of the 34 of states that have publicly reported on their arms exports since 2006 (full list below), 28 did manage to report on ammunition exports as an explicit category including the UK and France. But due to the magnitude of the trade, regulation through an international treaty is urgently needed to ensure transparent reporting.

Stedjan added: “There are no global controls on ammunition flows and no global reporting system to keep track on where the billions of bullets are ending up. That must change.”

Oxfam researchers found some of the biggest gaps in information related to undocumented ammunition transfers to war-torn countries. The report says many bullets end up diverted into the hands of armed groups, often prolonging conflicts and increasing the chance of human rights abuses.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1.     The 34 states are: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States. Reports are available on the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) National Reports Database at: http://www.sipri.org/research/armaments/transfers/transparency/national_reports/

]]> No publisher swheeler 2012-06-27T13:41:36Z Press Release G8 to poor countries: It’s not you, it’s me http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/g8-to-poor-countries-it2019s-not-you-it2019s-me As the Camp David G8 Summit winds down, international agency Oxfam criticized G8 leaders for failing to renew measureable funding and policy commitments to help address global food security. Leaders were unwilling to continue current efforts to invest in developing country agriculture, even as they set a new goal of helping 50 million people lift themselves out of poverty through agriculture by 2015.

“As if they are using the classic break up line, ‘It’s not you, it’s me,’ the G8 is walking away from the agreement struck in Italy just three years ago,” said Oxfam’s Gregory Adams. “Breaking up is never easy, but the G8’s unwillingness to sustain their promises comes as the challenges facing poor people around the world are only getting harder.”

While members of the private sector featured prominently in G8 discussions, the concerns of smallholder farmers who are the key to food security were not at the table. Concerned with the direction of the G8’s efforts on food security, a number of African civil society leaders have asked the G8 to stick to the plans drawn up in L’Aquila.

“The G8 made a commitment in 2009 to stand with developing countries for better or for worse,” said Oxfam’s Lamine Ndiaye. “Poor countries have presented the G8 country-led, sustainable, and coordinated plans for food security and agricultural development, but today the G8 gave them the cold shoulder.”

In one summit bright spot, a handful of countries made much-needed pledges to the tune of $1.2 billion to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), the multi-donor fund that invests directly in country plans. Oxfam urged the rest of the G8 to follow suit, channeling all pledges through the public sector window.

“The GAFSP has been running on fumes and will certainly benefit from the announced injection of resources,” said Adams.

As the shutters close in Camp David, we look to the G20 in Los Cabos to take concrete action to fix the broken food system. Attention also shifts towards the UK, which will host the next G8 Summit.

“Along with the US, the UK deserves credit for sticking to its overall aid commitments and those made at L'Aquila to address global hunger,” said Adams. “And as chair of next year's G8, it is the UK’s turn to raise the level of ambition and deliver a partnership with developing countries to tackle the scandal that sees one in seven people going hungry.”

\ENDS

]]> No publisher bgrossmancohen 2012-05-19T23:41:07Z Press Release Oxfam: G8 food security alliance answers question hungry people have not asked http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/oxfam-g8-food-security-alliance-answers-question-hungry-people-have-not-asked Washington, DC— International agency Oxfam warned that today’s announcement of the "New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition" focuses too heavily on the role of the private sector to tackle the complex challenges of food insecurity in the developing world. The organization called instead for G8 leaders to keep the promises they have already made to help developing countries invest in sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty.  

"The New Alliance is neither new nor a true alliance,” said Oxfam’s Lamine Ndiaye. “The rhetoric invokes small-scale producers, particularly women, but the plan must do more to bring them to the table.” Smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, make up the majority of hungry people in poor countries and are key agents of change in their communities.

Three years ago, at the G8 Summit in L’Aquila, Italy, President Obama rallied the leaders of the world’s richest countries to pledge $22 billion to poor countries that had goods plans to tackle hunger. Seven months away from the end of the L’Aquila initiative, dozens of poor countries have lived up to their end of the bargain, but the G8 is falling down on the job.

“President Obama deserves credit for focusing the G8’s attention on the fact that one billion people go to bed hungry every night,” said Oxfam’s Gregory Adams.  “We applaud the clear focus on the target of helping 50 million people escape hunger and poverty through agriculture.”

“G8 leaders should join President Obama to commit resources to help developing countries reach this ambitious goal. The pledge to find $1.2 billion for the trust fund to support country agriculture plans is a good start. But the G8 should recommit to the partnership they began at L’Aquila and maintain that level of investments. Otherwise, they’ll be offering a shrinking solution to a growing problem.”

The alliance includes 45 companies from around the world, representing what G8 leaders hope will be the missing link to achieve transformational development in poor countries. While there is a positive role for the private sector in the fight against global hunger, the plan’s top down approach does not reflect what many people in poor countries say they want or need. The average private sector role in existing country food security plans, the basis for the L’Aquila agreement, is about 5%, and most have no role at all.

“This new alliance – is a nice complement at best, a deflection at worst. The role of the private sector is important, but they will not be able to make up for the G8’s broken promises,” said Ndiaye. “Smallholder farmers need the freedom to pursue their own growing strategies, not take overly-prescriptive tips on farming from G8 leaders, or one size fits all technologies from far away CEOs.”

A number of African civil society leaders and groups publicly raised concerns about the path the G8 is taking on food security in an open a letter to the G8 and a declaration signed at a Committee on World Food Security Consultation for African civil society groups in April of 2012.

“Having been developed without African civil society, it’s unclear what role they will play in its execution,” said Ndiaye.

The plan mentions but must do more do address the growing threats of climate change and natural resource constraints. And while the G8’s initiative endorses the United Nations Voluntary Guidelines on Land Tenure, an important step forward in preventing land grabs, they make a misstep in also legitimizing a weaker World Bank standard.   

“Unless the G8 reaffirms and continues its L’Aquila pledges, they are passing the buck on global hunger,” said Adams. “The private sector, especially local small and medium enterprises, can play an important role in tackling food security, but G8 leaders have to first deliver on their end of the deal.”

/ENDS

]]> No publisher bgrossmancohen 2012-05-18T16:25:43Z Press Release Afghan security forces need urgent reforms http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/afghan-security-forces-need-urgent-reforms Twenty leading international and Afghan organizations called on NATO and the Afghan government to agree to commitments to ensure Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) are able to protect civilians and are held accountable if they commit abuses or violate international law. The organizations also warned of a possible rise in crime and insecurity in the country if there are no jobs for up to 120,000 troops due to be demobilized post 2014.

The organizations, including Oxfam, Human Rights Watch, the Norwegian Refugee Council, CIVIC, Christian Aid, and the Research Institute for Women, Peace and Security – Afghanistan, made the call as NATO states prepare for a summit in Chicago on May 20-2 to discuss their future role in Afghanistan. They said that despite some positive efforts by NATO to improve the quality of Afghan security forces, more action and safeguards are needed.

“Over the past decade, the lives of millions of Afghan men, women, and children have improved: 2.7 million girls go to school, women sit in parliament, Afghans can vote, and there is better access health services.

But these improvements are continually threatened by insecurity and weak rule of law. There are consistent reports of abuse by poorly trained and unaccountable Afghan security personnel. NATO governments have an obligation to ensure that the security forces they have helped create, fund, arm, and train do not commit abuses and can serve all Afghans. Security forces that are poorly trained, unaccountable, and unable to uphold law and order are bad for Afghans and bad for peace and security in the region,” said Anjo van Toorn, Oxfam’s Regional Manager for South Asia.

The organizations also warned that proposals to slash the size of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) post-2014 could result in up to 120,000 men with weapons training left unemployed throughout the country, risking even further the safety of Afghans.

The organizations called on NATO and the Afghan Government to:

  • Ensure that all civilian casualties and allegations of abuse by ANSF are effectively tracked and investigated by the Afghan government and prosecuted where appropriate. This requires an effective civilian casualty tracking unit to monitor casualties attributed to the ANSF and help reduce the number of Afghan’s harmed, as well as a complaints review body for all ANSF, which is well-publicized, easily accessible, transparent, and independent.
  • Ensure there is a fully-funded demobilization plan in place before any major Afghan troop cuts to address the high risk of increased crime and conflict.
  • Accelerate the recruitment of female security personnel, especially in the police, to ensure the security services are more accessible and responsive to women and girls.
  • Allocate additional resources to ensure improved ANSF vetting and expanded training on human rights, rule of law, and women's rights

“In Chicago, NATO must heed what is at stake for Afghans. Efforts to improve the conduct and accountability of the Afghan security forces must be urgently accelerated, and women are critical to this. The evidence is clear that women and girls are especially vulnerable to violence and insecurity: their voices must be heard and be part of the solution for a sustainable peace and prosperity’’ says Wazhma Frogh, Executive Director of Research Institute for Women, Peace and Security. ‘’What happens to women in the coming years, is key to the international community’s legacy in Afghanistan’’

]]> No publisher mhart 2012-05-17T19:37:17Z Press Release Oxfam America files lawsuit against Securities and Exchange Commission http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/oxfam-america-files-lawsuit-against-securities-and-exchange-commission Washington, D.C. – International relief and development organization Oxfam America has today filed a lawsuit against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for unlawfully delaying the issuance of a Final Rule implementing a provision of the Dodd-Frank Act that requires disclosure of payments from oil, gas and mining companies to the United States and foreign governments. Known as Section 1504 or the “Cardin-Lugar” provision of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, this provision would provide information to investors and citizens in resource-rich countries, help stem corruption, and encourage the accountable use of billions of dollars in annual revenues from the oil, gas and mining sector.

Congress set a deadline of April 17, 2011, for the SEC’s promulgation of the final rule that is needed to bring Section 1504 into effect. The SEC has now missed this statutory deadline by one year and one month. Oxfam America notified the SEC on April 16, 2012 that it would file suit if the regulatory agency did not issue a final rule within 30 days. As Oxfam America’s lawsuit states, “the extractive payment disclosures that Congress mandated nearly two years ago will not take place unless and until the SEC issues a Final Rule. Unfortunately, the SEC’s pattern of delay gives no assurance that it will ever promulgate a Final rule without the involvement of this Court.” The SEC issued a proposed rule on December 15, 2010.

This legal action follows engagement by Oxfam America and allies in the Publish What You Pay coalition with the SEC since the Dodd-Frank Act was signed into law. Oxfam America has made numerous substantive submissions to the SEC and has had multiple meetings with SEC staff about the proposed rule and the need for a strong final rule.

“We have been patient, but the Commission’s continued failure to issue a Final Rule implementing Cardin-Lugar frustrates Congress’s intent to increase transparency in resource-rich countries,” said Ian Gary, senior policy manager of Oxfam America’s oil, gas and mining program. “For those living in poverty in resource-rich countries, there’s no time left to wait.”

Gary added, “Oxfam America is simply asking for the SEC to follow the law.”

Investors representing more than $1.2 trillion worth of assets under management have made submissions to the SEC in support of the provision. Secretary of State Clinton has called on the SEC to “go as far as possible” in the final rule and many prominent members of the Senate and House of Representatives have called on the SEC to respect the statutory deadline and Congressional intent. The oil and mining industries have been fighting implementation, with the American Petroleum Institute calling on the SEC to “repropose” the rule.

“One of the reasons for the financial crisis was a lack of public information about the real risks of investments,” said Gary. “In the case of the oil and mining industries, investors have a right to know how and whether companies are exposed to political and expropriation risks in volatile resource-rich countries.”

The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, asks the court to order the SEC to issue a Final Rule as required by Section 1504. Oxfam America is represented in this matter by Baker Hostetler LLP, one of the largest law firms in the US, and EarthRights International, an organization dedicated to defending human rights and the environment through legal actions and other strategies.

 

]]> No publisher jforres 2012-05-16T14:40:02Z Press Release Bold food security initiative needed from G8 http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/bold-food-security-initiative-needed-from-g8 Washington, DC— On the eve of the G8 Summit, international agency Oxfam called on world leaders heading to Camp David to make predictable, measureable funding and policy commitments that will help 50 million people lift themselves out of poverty through sustainable, small-scale agriculture by 2015.

Almost a billion people on this planet — one in seven of us — are hungry. The kind of hunger that pushes men to leave their families in search for work, forces mothers to choose between food and medicine for their children and prevents the healthy development of a new generation. At Camp David, the leaders of the eight richest countries can build on their previous commitments and partner with developing countries to urgently tackle hunger.

“From the Horn of Africa to the Sahel, farmers and herders, especially women, around the world are working tirelessly to overcome hunger in their communities, doing battle with high food prices, insects and erratic weather,” said Oxfam’s Gawain Kripke. “This week at Camp David, we hope the G8 will join smallholder farmers and developing countries to fight hunger by delivering on their previous pledges and recommitting for the future.”

Three years ago, at the G8 Summit in L’Aquila, Italy, President Obama rallied the leaders of the world’s richest countries to promise to invest $22bn dollars over three years through country-led plans for food security. A number of countries have developed sustainable and coordinated plans for food security and agricultural development; they now need a partner to help get them off the ground.  

“At least 30 poor countries have developed plans to improve their agriculture and tackle food insecurity in their communities, but the promise of resources has yet to materialize,” said Kripke.  “The need to channel public sector resources through country plans hasn’t gone away. It’s time for the G8 to live up to their end of the deal, and put the money on the table.”

Worryingly, there are indications that the G8 leaders will look to the private sector to step in to make up for their shortfalls, despite the fact that the private sector is simply unlikely to make the scale or kinds of investments needed to fix the broken food system.

“The G8 must not give in to the temptation to make bold and convenient assumptions about the private sector as a development panacea,” said Kripke. “There is no evidence that the growing focus on private sector engagement at the expense of other approaches will truly deliver for the fight against hunger.”

While there is a positive role for the private sector in the fight against global hunger, a resourced public sector is crucial to get the private sector going. Furthermore, the average private sector role in existing country plan budgets is about 5%, and most have no role at all.

“A number of African civil society groups have raised concern about the direction of the G8’s efforts on food security,” said Oxfam’s Lamine Ndiaye. “The rhetoric is all about small scale producers, but they haven’t yet been a part of the G8’s conversation.”

/ENDS

]]> No publisher bgrossmancohen 2012-05-17T14:39:08Z Press Release