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As the second to last negotiations before Copenhagen draw to a close in Bangkok, three big sticking points remain. These issues show a lack of willingness of the EU and other industrialised countries to find common ground with developing countries.

The El Niño-induced heavy rains and flash flooding killed 130 people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, while the region is still reeling from one of the most severe droughts in 40 years. Despite the pressing needs, funding to tackle the increasing humanitarian crises in 2023 in the three countries have fallen significantly short by $4.1 billion since in 2023 alone.

The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting closure of South Sudan’s schools in March 2020 exacerbated many of the challenges female learners face in pursuing an education. Research conducted for this paper found that increased poverty, domestic care work, early and forced marriage, and teenage pregnancy would make it difficult for female learners to return to schools when they reopened in May 2021.

The International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) gave its approval today to set up a new IMF-administered Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) that will allow wealthy nations to channel some of their Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to more vulnerable countries. In response, Nadia Daar, Head of Oxfam International’s Washington DC Office, said: “While it is positive that the RST will be accessible to a wide range of countries, including vulnerable middle-income countries hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital that the IMF deliver these funds on terms that are as close to grants as possible."  

Today, the European Commission proposed that EU countries tax windfall profits made by energy companies. This one-off tax would capture the excess profits made during the recent spike in gas prices. 

Wealthy Group of Seven (G7) countries owe low- and middle-income countries $13.3 trillion in unpaid aid and funding for climate action, reveals new analysis from Oxfam ahead of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been called “the great equalizer”. However, the past twelve months made it clear that the most excluded, oppressed, and vulnerable groups, such as girls and women in all their diversity, have been disproportionately affected by its impact. How can we build a more equal and resilient world?

Today, the European Commission published an ‘Action Plan For Fair And Simple Taxation Supporting The Recovery Strategy’, including a communication on ‘Tax Good Governance in the EU and beyond’.

Europeans may still be forced to buy biofuels made from food crops until 2030, as a result of the deal struck by EU member states and the European Parliament this morning on the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II), Oxfam said.

As 2020 draws to a close, the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic shows no sign of abating. Our analysis shows that none of the social protection support to those who are unemployed, elderly people, children and families provided in low- and middle-income countries has been adequate to meet basic needs.