Media Center

Press Advisory


OAS AGENCY TO UNVEIL PROPOSAL TO REDUCE AND
RE-CHANNEL DEBT TO BATTLE POVERTY

  February 10, 2003

The Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD), the technical assistance arm of the Organization of American States (OAS), will be hosting a breakfast meeting on Thursday, February 13, 2003, to unveil a bold new proposal to increase resources for poverty alleviation and to re-channel part of the enormous debt burden of Latin America and the Caribbean directly to poverty relief. The meeting with media representatives will be held at 9:30 a.m.

The poverty-alleviation plan calls for the formation of national endowments for social action that would include representatives of government, the private sector, and civil society on their Boards of Directors. The endowments would be qualified to receive contributions of bonds and other debt instruments, direct their income to anti-poverty programs, and provide tax incentives to donors.

IACD Director General L. Ronald Scheman will address the media on the specifics of the proposed poverty-fighting plan.


WHAT: IACD Breakfast meeting with the media

WHEN: Thursday, February 13, 2003

TIME: 9:30 a.m.

VENUE: San Martin Room
OAS Headquarters
17th Street & Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C.

The media are requested to confirm attendance by calling Lucrecia Baracat, at (202) 458-6824.

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Reference: AVI-006/03