Home › Campaigns › Theme: Economy & debt ›

International

 

 

Poverty and the price of rice

Down to Earth No. 76-77 May 2008

Concerns about food security worldwide are growing as rice prices have more than doubled in many countries over the last year and global rice stocks are the lowest for decades. Meanwhile the Indonesian government needs to consider how to increase rice production and to protect the food supplies of the poor.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization voiced concern when international rice prices rocketed to a 20-year high in late March with the global benchmark price at over US$500 per tonne.

Indonesia and biofuel fever

Down to Earth No. 74, August 2007


The Jambi-based NGO, SETARA, which focuses on issues related to livelihoods, energy, natural resources and foreign investment, distributed a position paper on Indonesia's palm oil supplies in May. It was headed with a quote from Cuba's former leader, Fidel Castro, that the use of food crops to produce fuels would cause rising prices and hunger for millions of people in developing countries.

In brief... DTE 72 - March 2007

Down to Earth No. 72 March 2007

CGI creditor group disbanded

Indonesia's creditor group, the Consultative Group on Indonesia, has been disbanded after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said it was no longer needed. The January announcement was officially welcomed the World Bank, former CGI chair and one of Indonesia's three main creditors alongside the Asian Development Bank and Japan.

DTE Factsheet: FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT

DTE Factsheet, May 2006

What is FDI?

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is an important feature of an increasingly globalised economic system. It occurs when a company based in one country makes a long-term investment in a company located in another country. The 'home country' company may gain partial or total control of the 'host country' company. The direct investor does this by purchasing an existing overseas enterprise, providing capital to start a new one or buying 10% or more of it.

KAU - "government has no sense of urgency"

Down to Earth No 68   February 2006

Indonesia's Anti-Debt Coalition (KAU) has accused the Indonesian government of lacking any sense of urgency in its post-tsunami reconstruction work. In a statement issued exactly one year after the disaster struck, KAU criticised the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for failing to seize opportunities to reduce Indonesia's debt.

Energy policy ignores renewables

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

Indonesian NGOs are concerned that fuel price rises are increasing poverty, while long term energy plans are failing to encourage alternatives to fossil fuels.

Indonesian politics have been dominated throughout the fasting month of Ramadan by the government policy to reduce fuel subsidies. The move breaks a promise made by SBY that fuel price rises in March would be the last this year. It has sparked weeks of angry protests and is already causing hardship for ordinary people.

Millennium Development Goals: shared hopes or hallucination?

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

A couple of months after the September World Summit 2005, the dust has settled at the UN Headquarters in New York. World leaders have long returned to their capitals, supposedly to do their homework. Meanwhile, activists the world over share their discontent over the outcome of the meeting: their hopes for change have been dashed.

This was the summit that was going to make poverty history.