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What's New! Vol.
6, No. 3
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March 2007 - What's New! Indices - 2005 2006 2007
"What's New!" is a periodic update to keep you informed of the latest on the ECA Watch website. What's New! features a wide range of materials related to the reform of Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) including NGO publications and releases, news articles, commentaries and announcements about the policies and practices of ECAs and ECA-financed projects world-wide. If you would like to receive "What's New!" simply add your e-mail to the ECA-Action list at www.eca-watch.org today! Questions? Email info-at-eca-watch.org
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1) |
OECD to conduct a further examination of UK efforts against bribery |
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2) |
Germany and Austria approve Ilisu dam export credit guarantees in stunning hypocritical move |
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A. |
German NGOs criticize approval of export credit guarantee for Turkish Ilisu dam |
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B. |
Ilisu Dam Opponents Occupy Brandenburg Gate in Berlin |
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C. |
Legal advisors cite potential Turkish violation of international legal obligations on Ilisu |
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D. |
Export credits and the OECD – environmental bankruptcy? |
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E. |
Austrians protest OeKB approval of Ilisu export credits |
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3) |
Is US Ex-Im Bank promotion of Nigeria exports a free rider threatening more debt? |
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4) |
US NGOs challenge Ex-Im Bank to implement environmental provisions |
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5) |
Challenged by Trade Partners, China Ends Export Credit Subsidy |
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6) |
Japan publishes Category A, B and C projects list to 12 March 2007 |
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7) |
Mozambique, China Ex-Im Bank in Talks on Hydro-Power Project |
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View Back Issues of What's New |
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| 1. |
OECD to conduct a further examination of UK efforts against bribery |
| (OECD, Paris 14 March 2007) - At its March 2007 meeting, the OECD Working Group on Bribery reaffirmed its serious concerns about the United Kingdom’s discontinuance of an investigation into the ECGD supported BAE Al Yamamah arms deal, outlining continued shortcomings in UK Anti-Bribery legislation and urging the UK to remedy these shortcomings as quickly as possible. The OECD decided to conduct a further examination of the UK’s efforts to fight bribery. |
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| 2. |
Germany approves Ilisu dam export credit guarantees in stunning hypocritical move |
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A. |
German NGOs criticize approval of export credit guarantee for Turkish Ilisu dam |
(WEED, Berlin, 26 March 2007) Today’s decision by the German Government to finally grant an export credit guarantee for the Ilisu dam in southeast Turkey has met with substantial criticism from non-governmental organizations."With its decision, the Federal Government obviously has yielded pressures which the Turkish government exerted, instead of respecting international standards", says Heike Drillisch of WEED.
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B. |
Ilisu Dam Opponents Occupy Brandenburg Gate in Berlin |
| (ENS, Berlin, 14 March 2007) - Environmental and human rights activists today demonstrated at the Brandenburg Gate that once separated East and West Berlin to show their opposition to the planned Ilisu dam on the Tigris River in Turkey. |
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C. |
Legal advisors cite potential Turkish violation of international legal obligations on Ilisu |
| (ECA Watch, Paris, 29 March 2007) Turkey is obliged under international law to notify, consult and negotiate with other riparian
neighbours before
implementing or permiting the implementation of measures which may have a
significant adverse effect upon other watercourse states. Iraq has indicated that it is "extremely concerned about the potential impact downstream of Ilisu dam." |
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D. |
Export credits and the OECD – environmental bankruptcy? |
| (ECA Watch, Paris, 20 March 2007) The OECD should be cracking down on the dubious standards some national
export credit agencies use when supporting projects, says Bob Thomson
of ECA Watch. |
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E. |
Austrians protest OeKB approval of Ilisu export credits |
(ECA Watch, Paris, 30 March 2007) In tandem with and dependent on German approval, the Austrian ECA OeKB approved a €230 million order for gas turbines for VA TECH Hydro. Extensive demonstrations have taken place in Austria and for several days the Ilisu protests were lead primetime media items and the object of a Catholic church press release. On March 23rd in celebration of the Kurdish New Year, Bianca Jagger, the mayor of Hasankeyf, an Austrian priest and about 100 people from 7 countries, including MEPs from Germany and Austria, planted more than 100 trees at the opening of the "Park of Hope and Solidarity" in the projected floodplain of the Ilisu dam.
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| 3 |
Is US Ex-Im Bank promotion of Nigeria exports a free rider threatening more debt? |
| (ECA Watch, Paris, 30 March 2007) At a March 15, 2007 roundtable in Washington DC, the U.S. Export Import Bank briefed more than 70 U.S. exporters on the potential for Nigerian sales, raising the question of whether this constitutes free rider opportunism based on recent debt forgiveness for Nigeria. |
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| 4 |
US NGOs challenge Ex-Im Bank to implement environmental provisions |
| (Pacific Environment, Washington, 29 March 2007) US NGOs have written Export Import Bank President James Lambright urging the Bank to implement provisions in the Export Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2006 which require the Bank to appoint NGO representatives to its Advisory Committee, publicly disclose all environmental assessments and supplements and to honour a "sense of Congress" motion re the establishment of a renewable energy promotion office. |
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Challenged by Trade Partners, China Ends Export Credit Subsidy |
(NewsBlaze, Folsom CA, 8 March 2007) China has terminated its central bank program that allowed a select group of large exporters to take advantage of discounted loans unavailable to many other companies. The United States and several other countries had challenged the program as a prohibited export subsidy and requested World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement consultations. In other news, Chinese ECA Sinosure has experienced problems with overseas accounts receivable.
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| 6. |
Japan publishes Category A, B and C projects list to 12 March 2007 |
| (JIBC, Tokyo, 12 March 2007) The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has published it's latest set of Category A, B and C projects received for screening. As noted in July 2006, JIBC does not provide a value for projects nor make EIA statements available online, |
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| 7. |
Mozambique, China Ex-Im Bank in Talks on Hydro-Power Project |
| (Reuters, Maputo, 20 March 2007) China's Export-Import Bank has agreed to finance studies for the Moamba Major project. South Africa, the economic powerhouse in the region is expected to absorb the bulk of the additional electricity produced in neighbouring Mozambique. |
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