Socialist International Campaigns

Cancelling the debt of the poorest countries and providing them with unrestricted market access

Representatives of SI member parties, NGO delegates, experts and other guests gathered on 5 October in Paris to take part in a special Socialist International one-day event, hosted by the French Socialist Party, to address the theme of the SI's Campaign for cancelling the debt of the poorest countries.

After a plenary opening, the event began in the morning with three workshops addressing pertinent questions relating to the campaign: 'The Cancellation of the Debt and Financing Development'; 'What opportunities are there for developing countries in the world economy?' and 'What political Strategies? Reform of financial institutions and their activities'.

In the afternoon, the event took the form of a round table discussion under the title: 'For a fairer world, cancel the debt', chaired by François Hollande, the First Secretary of the PS and head of the Campaign, which called on speakers representing many diverse global concerns to add to the debate.

The day's discussions concluded, in the presence of Lionel Jospin, Prime Minister of France, with a contribution from Pascal Affi N'Guessan, Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire, and the closing speech by Prime Minister António Guterres, President of the Socialist International.

The SI Executive, meeting in Paris, subsequently agreed a statement with orientations and a programme of activities to continue the work of the campaign.

Document issued by the SI Executive