Liberal Democrats
International Development discussions at the Liberal Democrats Party Conference
The Liberal Democrats Party Conference took place from 19 to 23 September.
At the Conference, the Liberal Democrats passed a motion entitled ‘Development in a Downturn', reiterating the Liberal Democrats commitment to international development and noting the potentially devastating consequences for the world's most vulnerable people and fragile states of the current global economic and financial crisis.
The motion called for an urgent and comprehensive resolution to the Doha Trade talks and for a substantive agreement to be reached at the Copenhagen climate summit. The motion also called for a ‘G20 Compact' that would:
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Deliver on previous aid promises, such as the 2005 pledges made by the G8 at Gleneagles, and to lay out a clear route to achieving the UN target of 0.7% of gross national income on development assistance by 2013
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Reform the international financial architecture, by amongst other measures creating a ‘Green New Deal' making the environment and climate change central to the world's economic recovery, lowering the costs of remittances to developing countries and putting restrictions on the operations of ‘vulture funds'
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Improve social protection for the world's poorest, by expanding funding and support for national welfare schemes and international food support systems (such as the World Food Programme)
The Liberal Democrats also released a policy document in advance of the Party Conference which additionally to the above mentioned demands called for a reform of European Union aid by merging the European Community Humanitarian Office with EuropeAid and prioritising of good governance and related legislation whilst improving enforcement of corruption, bribery, asset tracking and money laundering regulations in the UK and internationally.
