Debt relief

The debt burden of countries in the Global South has again been growing for some years now. Climate crisis, war and the economic consequences of the pandemic are compounding the problem. Swiss lenders must play an active part in debt relief processes.

What it is about >

International Tax Policy "The system is set up against us"

29.11.2024 Finance and tax policy

Everlyn Muendo is following the UN negotiations for a framework convention for international cooperation in tax matters on behalf of the Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA). In this interview, she analyses the current developments in the process in New York and explains why there is no longer any alternative to the UN for the Global South when it comes to international tax policy. Interview: Dominik Gross

Climate and Taxes A duo on a world tour

04.10.2024 Climate justice, Finance and tax policy

Without the polluter-pays principle, international climate policy cannot be funded – without tax justice, it is not feasible. A mini-world tour with an unequal but perhaps soon symbiotic duo.

UN tax convention Temperatures also rising on the tax policy front in New York

26.07.2024 Finance and tax policy

Next week ushers in another round of negotiations on a Framework Tax Convention at the UN headquarters in New York. Recently, the Swiss Cantons of Basel City and Zug, noted for their low corporate tax rates, again provided new material illustrating why this is an absolute necessity.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Next page
Last page

What it is about

The over-indebtedness of many countries in the Global South is a major stumbling block to the funding of new, pro-growth investments. Money that they must devote to servicing their debt for the benefit of the creditors in the North is then unavailable for urgently needed development spending. In Switzerland, banks and commodity traders act as lenders. Considering Switzerland's role as the country of domicile of major private creditors, it is not enough for them merely to make modest contributions towards the debt relief programmes of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) or the World Bank.

There is also a significant lack of transparency in this area: it is not known which banks and commodity traders have provided precisely how much credit or subscribed to bonds, and where. Alliance Sud wants to see greater transparency in this area and an active federal government that encourages private lenders in Switzerland to get involved in substantial debt relief programmes for countries in the South.

Debt relief

What it is about

IBAN: CH94 0900 0000 3003 6070 0 BIC: POFICHBEXXX

IBAN: CH94 0900 0000 3003 6070 0
BIC: POFICHBEXXX