Research Briefing
Both the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review were published in October 2010, five months after the Government took office. This paper examines the main priorities and recommendations set out in each of those documents
Research Briefing
The G20 has met at leaders' level since November 2008. The second summit in 2010 takes place in Seoul in November. This note provides background to the G20, outcomes of summits so far, the agenda for Seoul, and the G8/G20 relationship.
Research Briefing
The UK's aid relationship with China, one of the world's fastest expanding economies, has come under intense scrutiny. The UK's China aid programme is expected to come to an end in 2011.
Research Briefing
UK aid to India was £297 million in 2008/09, and India has received more UK overseas aid than any other country since 1998. As one of the rapidly expanding emerging 'BRIC' economies, this aid programme has come under increasingly intense scrutiny. Recent commentary and Government statements are summarised.
Research Briefing
This note provides an update to the second reading and committee stage Library research papers on the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill, also known as the 'Vulture Funds' Bill. The Act entered into force in June 2010 and will lapse if not renewed within a year due to a 'sunset clause'.
Research Briefing
The UN's eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are aimed at reducing world poverty and improving lives by 2015. This note provides background and a progress assessment ahead of a UN review summit in September 2010.
Research Briefing
This note was last published on 26 August 2009 and will not be updated. In the early stages of the financial crisis there were hopes that it would be largely contained within developed economies, with developing economies having 'decoupled' from them. These early hopes proved unfounded, with developing countries struck by declining trade, a loss of investor confidence and withdrawal of investment, a fall in the value of vital remittances, and much reduced growth and contraction in some cases. There are also fears that aid flows may suffer in the aftermath of the crisis. This note summarises key reports and statistics, with links to further resources.
Research Briefing
This is a report on the Committee Stage of the Bill. It complements Research Paper 10/17, prepared for the Commons Second Reading of the Bill. The Bill seeks to limit the amount that can be recovered by any commercial creditor of those countries designated as having unsustainable external debts. It would restrict the activities of so-called 'vulture funds', which buy developing countries' sovereign debt at discounted prices, then seek to recover its value in full through the courts. It would limit successful claims to an internationally agreed level and apply equally to all commercial creditors. At Committee Stage, a new 'sunset clause' was added. The proposed legislation would now expire after one year unless renewed for a further year or made permanent by order.
Research Briefing
The Bill seeks to limit the amount that can be recovered by any commercial creditor of those countries designated as having unsustainable external debts. The legislation would restrict the activities of so-called 'vulture funds', which buy developing countries' sovereign debt at discounted prices, then seek to recover its value in full through the courts. It would limit successful claims to an internationally agreed level and apply equally to all commercial creditors. It would cover the 40 countries in the IMF/World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Debts incurred after the Bill's entry into force would be excluded.
Research Briefing
The European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries have been renegotiating their relationship. A series of interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) were signed with a number of ACP countries towards the end of 2007, as well as a more comprehensive EPA with the Caribbean ACPs. This note updates with recent developments, and outlines some of the criticisms there have been of EPAs and the negotiations.
Research Briefing
The European Union offers developing countries unilateral preferential trading arrangements under its Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which is split into three parts: standard GSP, GSP+ and 'Everything But Arms'. A new GSP Regulation is to enter into force on 1 January 2009, running to the end of 2011. This note outlines the changes that have been made, providing a background and history to the GSP.
Research Briefing
Gleneagles G8 commitments on debt relief and aid – two years on. House of Commons Library Research Paper 07/51.
Research Briefing
An economic introduction to India. House of Commons Library Research Paper 07/40.
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