wfn.org | NCC Leaders Commend Clinton's Debt Relief Call

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Email: news@ncccusa.org  Web: www.ncccusa.org

Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2227

110NCC9/30/99                                                                   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCC LEADERS COMMEND PRESIDENT CLINTON'S DEBT RELIEF CALL
Call for Congressional Approval, Express Implementation 
Concerns

 Sept. 30, 1999, NEW YORK ---- Leaders of the National 
Council of Churches (NCC) commended President Clinton's 
Sept. 29 call for cancellation of 100 percent of the debts 
owed to the United States by many of the world's most 
impoverished countries.

 "We thank President Clinton for recognizing the 
importance of this matter, and commend him for his 
leadership on this critical moral issue," said the Rev. Dr. 
Joan Brown Campbell, NCC General Secretary.  "Now it is 
critical that Congress support this request, and that 
members act immediately to appropriate the necessary funds.  
We also hope that other creditor governments follow the 
example set by the United States."

 "This is great news to us, and shows that our Jubilee 
2000 postcards, pins and petition signing had an impact," 
said the Rev. Dr. Rodney Page, Executive Director of Church 
World Service and Witness, the NCC's humanitarian response 
agency.  NCC/CWS has been a longtime and active member of 
the Jubilee 2000 debt reduction campaign, drawing on the 
networks in its 35 member communions to press the debt 
relief issue.  In June, CWS released a lapel pin and 
brochure in support of the campaign and sent samples to 
1,200 denominational and ecumenical organizations.  The 
brochure contained a detachable postcard to President 
Clinton urging him to expand debt relief initiatives.

 Just this month, on Sept. 17, Dr. Page was among U.S. 
religious leaders who met with Mr. James Wolfensohn, 
President of the World Bank, to stress their urgent concern 
for debt relief and spell out their evaluation of the 
various debt relief programs and proposals.  "It wasn't 
difficult to convince Mr. Wolfensohn of the moral strength 
of our argument, but he stressed that it was going to be 
necessary for the various World Bank members and 
legislatures of the world to support it and come up with the 
funds," Dr. Page said.

"President Clinton's pledge has major symbolic and 
political significance," Dr. Page said.  "Although the 
proposal he is supporting is not as expansive as that which 
is envisioned by the Jubilee 2000 initiative, this is a big 
step towards accomplishing our goals."

"We are simultaneously appreciative of the proposals by 
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to 
revise their approach to debt relief for these impoverished 
countries," Dr. Page added.  "We thank the staff of these 
bodies for working so hard to develop proposals that 
represent a huge shift in the way these institutions 
operate."

 At the same time, Dr. Page expressed concern about the 
implementation process for these changes.  "If everything 
goes as planned, there is potential for tremendous 
improvement in how the world approaches debt relief and 
economic development.  But the IMF and World Bank have not 
worked closely together before, and operations will not be 
transformed overnight.  It remains to be seen if efforts to 
reduce poverty will take precedence over efforts to 
stimulate economic growth.  We have many concerns about 
fewer countries actually benefiting from this initiative 
than we would like."

 Still, "being people of faith, we are hopeful for these 
developments," Dr. Campbell said.  "We believe in the 
strength of our common witness to change institutions, even 
the most powerful international banks and weathiest nations.  
We could all use a fresh start for the new millennium, and 
the actions of this week may prove to be a huge step in this 
direction."

 More information about the Jubilee 2000 campaign can be 
found on these web sites:
www.churchworldservice.org
www.j2000usa.org

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