News & Media

Yemen: After months of unrest, country reaches breaking point

September 19, 2011

Families in parts of Yemen are in dire need of assistance as crippling food prices and fuel shortages drive them to breaking point, according to a new report released today by the international aid agency, Oxfam. Already, one-third of Yemenis – 7.5m people – are going hungry. At a time when donors should be scaling up funding, some, such as the World Bank, are suspending aid based on political and security concerns at the expense of the most vulnerable communities.

Oxfam urges Pacific leaders to achieve a strong arms trade treaty

September 16, 2011

Oxfam welcomes the strong commitment to regional cooperation in negotiating an international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) made at the Pacific Islands Forum held in Auckland last week. Pacific governments should follow through on these commitments by actively working together to develop a common position ahead of the ATT negotiating conference next July.

Oxfam responds as fresh flooding in Pakistan affects over 5 million

September 15, 2011

International aid agency Oxfam is mounting an emergency response to get aid to those affected by fresh flooding in Sindh province in Pakistan. This is the second year of flooding in Pakistan, and many of those affected had not fully recovered from the devastating floods last year.

Pacific Islands Forum 2011 provides a platform for change

September 9, 2011

Oxfam welcomes the responsiveness of Pacific Islands Forum Leaders to climate change needs, civil society involvement and the UN Arms Trade Treaty. However, there have been tensions over the role of the Pacific Islands Forum in trade negotiations in the past, and it is crucial that there be greater levels of trust and accountability established between the Forum Secretariat and Pacific island nations.

Out of the bunker: Time for a fair deal on shipping emissions

September 8, 2011

International shipping is a major – and rapidly growing – source of greenhouse gas emissions. Agreement to apply a carbon price to shipping can both reduce emissions and raise funds for climate change adaptation and mitigation in developing countries. Two challenges loom especially large after the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico. First, governments must close the gap between the cuts to greenhouse gas emissions pledged so far and those needed to avoid catastrophic climate change. Second, rich country governments must mobilize the money needed to fill the Green Climate Fund (GCF) established in Cancun. Our well-being depends on the urgency with which these twin challenges are confronted. In 2011 a deal to control rising emissions from international shipping could help tackle both.

Download file:

110905 out of the bunker briefing note.pdf

NZ should support Barroso push for financial transaction tax

September 8, 2011

This week’s Pacific Islands Forum has attracted a bevy of diplomatic heavyweights, including European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. The EC president’s visit to New Zealand and the Pacific Forum meetings includes garnering support for a tax on financial transactions.New Zealand should support the move instead of continuing to neglect the tidal wave of speculation by the financial industry, which played a major role in causing the global economic crisis.