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Graphic depicting debt
The Civil 20 South Africa Summit has called for the cancellation of debt of developing countries as it wrapped up its three-day gathering in Benoni in Ekurhuleni on Gauteng’s East Rand.
Over 500 civil society activists and leaders met since Wednesday to discuss ways to reinforce civil society’s role in tackling global inequality.
C20 Chairperson, Thulani Tshefuta says, “We are actually making a bold claim and a call for the cancellation of debt of developing countries. And that cancellation on the other side is just posed by a call for measures that liberate developing economies from having to service debt at the expense of social services like education and health.”
Tshefuta adds, “We believe that the restructuring of debt, to some extent, must allow developing countries and economies to spend more on development than on servicing the debt. Furthermore, we have a call that we’re making as civil society.”
Meanwhile, Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau says communities and civil society groups of the C20 are an integral part of the discussions.
“It’s extremely important. And I think we should acknowledge our predecessors, Brazil, for initiating the C20, for ensuring that communities and civil society are an integral part of the discussions about the future of the world. Aout issues in relation to the environment, sustainability, economic development, energy trade, so that communities are not left behind. Communities must be an integral part of the solutions that our leaders are looking at.”
