Norway’s government has voted to forgive 90 percent of the debt Liberia owes it, in a move designed to help the country keep up the pace of positive change achieved in recent years. This amounts to USD 35 million, with the remaining 10 percent to be placed under a more manageable repayment plan.
The Norway Post reports that Norway’s Minister of the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim, stated: “I am glad we have agreed to cancel most of Liberia’s debt to Norway. It is important to support the positive developments that have taken place since the election of President Johnson-Sirleaf four years ago.”
The debt cancellation is part of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, a global programme designed to reduce the national debts of the world’s poorest countries. In reality, these countries will likely never be able to repay their loans at current levels and rarely even manage to scrape together the interest payments.
The Paris Club, a group of the world’s wealthiest nations and creditors, agreed on a framework for the programme in April 2008. “Poor post-conflict countries are in urgent need of help to reduce their debt. Norway gives particular attention to these countries. Countries that are not qualified for help from the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative are often countries that have recently been affected by war. Liberia is an example for them,” Mr Solheim told the newspaper.
[…] Liberia debt to Norway forgiven […]
GOOD MOVE, STILL, NORWAY PLAYS A DOUBLE-FACE IDENTITY IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. FIRST THEY ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST EXPORTERS O WEAPONS AND THEN THEY ARE PEACE KEEPERS. IT IS A VERY NICE WAY OF WASHING AWAY THE SENSE OF GUILTINESS…
WHAT NORWAY DONES TO OTHER COUNTRIES IS LESS THAN 1% OF WHAT THEY MAKE SELLING WEAPONS USED IN MANY WARS AND CONFLICTS AROUND THE WORLD.
NORWAY HAS TO STOP SELLING WEAPONS IF THEY REALLY WANT TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FOR OTHER NATIONS. IT IS NONSENSE TO SUPPORT THE MACHINERY OF WAR AND MAKE ENORMOUS BENEFITS FROM IT AND THEN GIVE SOME COINS AWAY AND TRY TO CLEAN THEIR INTERNATIONAL IMAGE.
AS LONG AS NORWAY KEEPS SELLING WEAPONS AND MAKING PROFIT OF WARS IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES I WILL CONDEMN NORWEGIAN GOVERN FOR THEIR LACK OF HONESTY AND MORAL INTEGRITY.
God Bless Norwegians !!
good people…