Press Release
October 23, 2007

Press Statement of Senator Edgardo J. Angara

NEW YORK CITY - Speaking at a top-level United Nations dialogue on financing for development here , Senator Edgardo J. Angara called on wealthy countries and financing institutions to stop granting aid that comes with unfair conditions and do away with donor-driven aid that have hamstrung the development programs of aid beneficiaries.

Introducing a novel approach to aid , Angara said that the developed countries and the international financial institutions should likewise increase the level of aid to countries that have ratified the UN Convention Against Corruption and are vigorously undertaking anti-corruption measures.

Angara said that the "selectivity and uncertainty " under which donor countries have been giving overseas development assistance (ODA) should end,.

Angara said that the Philippines have had sad experiences with "tied aid" and "donor-driven aid" and the several anti-development features that come with these type of assistance.

Angara said that tying ODA with a recipient's capacity-to-pay is anti-development as ODA should primarily be used to help the developing countries meet their medium-term development goals.

The focus of ODA should be the development goals of the developing countries, not the control of the ODA donors, whether developed countries or multilateral institutions, over the assistance they give, said Angara.

Angara's proposal to step up the ODA grants to countries that fight corruption vigorously is a complement to his similar initiative at the Ottawa-based Global Organization of Parliaments Against Corruption, in which he has been an active participant.

Corruption , said Angara, squanders funds and resources which could have been devoted to financing development goals.

Angara's call for the review of the developed world's ODA policies represented the Country Statement of the Philippines at the UN 's High Level Dialogue on Financing for Development.

Angara said his call for the recasting of the ODA thrust and orientation were timely as the review of the so-called Monterrey Consensus is scheduled next year at the UN.

The Monterey Consensus urges donor countries to fully meet their aid commitments and utilize ODA grants to help meet the development goals of aid recipients. The Consensus also emphasizes on domestic resource mobilization to help developing countries finance their development goals.

On this area, the Philippines can be proud of one thing , said Angara , and this has been recording high growth rates and posting solid economic fundamentals despite the decrease in overseas development assistance over the past seven years.

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