4 Financial Stability and Debt
Today, the “COVID Defense Act” was formally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Mark Pocan. If passed, this act will provide additional resources to ensure global access to vaccines as part of the U.S. national security strategy by rescinding “1.3 percent of total defense spending” and authorizing “the same amount for international COVID vaccine production and distribution.” The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) calls on Members of Congress to ensure that if passed, the act will also include measures to keep kleptocrats in check through accountability mechanisms.
On September 16, 2021 the World Bank announced the end of their publication the Doing Business Report (DBR) after a review that was sparked by data irregularities that were found. The Africa Faith and Justice Network’s policy analyst Jacques Bahati’s will discuss the significance of this news on YouTube September 20, 2021 at 2:00 pm ET (US and Canada).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 10, 2021 Washington, DC – Today, the Africa Faith and Justice Network along with over twenty-five faith and nongovernmental organizations sent a joint letter to Congressional Leadership in…
Washington, DC – On Monday the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), along with a coalition of over 50 organizations, issued the joint statement “Groups Urge US Senate to Authorize Additional Relief to Combat the COVID-19 Crisis” regarding the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) release of 450 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). These funds did not require United States Congressional approval and are insufficient to address the needs of the nations suffering under heavy debt burdens exacerbated by the pandemic. The coalition is calling on all members of Congress, particularly the United States Senators to move quickly and pass legislation that would increase the amount of SDRs to 2 trillion dollars.
Today, on this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the world acknowledges the millions of people who are being trafficked around the globe. According to the United Nations’ “Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2020” over “50 percent” of trafficked people were for “sexual exploitation”.
The Africa Faith and Justice Network just released our July 2021 Report on our efforts in Ghana as part of the African Church Together (ACT) to Fight Against Corruption Project. Read the full report here:
Washington, DC – Today, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a press release noting that the IMF Executive Board supported the “general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs).” The new allocation of $650 billion is three-times more than what was approved during the 2008 crises and is the largest amount to date. The IMF’s Board of Governors still needs to approve the new allocation. While many are enthusiastic about issuance of these needed financial resources to nations who are struggling due to the pandemic, the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) urges the IMF to insist that strong accountability and transparency measures be put in place to ensure that these monies will go where intended and will not be squandered away.
AFJN’s Sr. Eucharia Madueke, SNDdeN provides reflections on the International Day of the African Child and the video premiere of Mmadueke Onyinye Silvia’s spoken poem “Africa, My Africa”
On May 25, 2021, at 2:00 am ET (US and Canada; 9:00 am Kenya) the Africa Faith and Justice Network premiered a video sponsored by the Coalition for Africa’s Liberation…
The Ecumenical Advocacy Days are back virtually in 2021 advocating for Climate Justice! This years is Imagine! God’s Earth and People Restored. EAD 2021 is an opportunity to support this global movement centered on and led by the people and communities most vulnerable to climate impacts due to historic racial and colonial inequities. Together, we will passionately advocate and reimagine a world that lives out the values of justice, equity and the beloved community.
The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) voted to appoint Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, from Nigeria, as Director-General beginning March 1, 2021. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is both the first African and the first female appointed to this position.
Read the End of Year Report and learn how the Africa Faith and Justice Network managed to further in our mission even amid the COVID Pandemic.
On Thursday, a coalition of dozens of organizations, including the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), sent a letter to President-Elect Joseph Biden urging him to support a global response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As groups that work on international humanitarian, development and labor issues, we were heartened to hear you announce that, as part of the future administration’s COVID19 response efforts, you are committed to strengthening U.S. global leadership to fight the pandemic.
With a better understanding of the transmission of the the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we know that no nation is safe if it remains anywhere in the world.
Tune in to the Africa Faith and Justice Network’s (AFJN) YouTube Channel today, December 11th, at 2:00 pm ET (US and Canada) by clicking here, for our YouTube Video Premiere “Is Foreign Aid to Africa Relevant?” with Mrs. Imani Countess, Director at U.S./Africa Bridge Building Project and Fellow at the Open Society Foundation. Mrs. Countess works on issues of illicit financial flows and their devastating effect on developing countries.
Learn why there must be a Global Response to COVID-19 that includes Special Drawing Rights by watching this video.
To prevent and stop the global economy from further collapsing, as was the case in 2008, to protect further losses of U.S. jobs, and to save lives the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) is asking the Senate to support the issuance of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The SDRs are special bonds to member nations and SDRs do not cost the U.S. anything. We are also asking for debt relief and additional foreign aid to respond to humanitarian crises and COVID-19 related challenges.
On September 17, Africa faith and Justice Network was one of 17 faith based organization which sent the letter below urging Senators to act on a global response to COVOD-19 to save lives, protect the global economy and jobs in the US and abroad. We are calling on every Senator to support: the issuance of 2 trillion in IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDR), expanding debt relief, Twenty billion in foreign aid. Why is this relevant to the American people? Part of the answer is in the July 9, 2020 letter by twenty nine Senators to the Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Schumer in which they said: “it is clear that no matter how successful we are at fighting COVID-19 here at home, we will never stop its spread – or prevent it from rebounding back to our shores – if we are not also fighting it around the world. U.S. global leadership in combatting COVID-19 is directly tied to protecting the health, security, and economic interests of all Americans.”
