A message to democratic parties and organizations around the world
Dear friends,
From Egypt, the Socialist People’s Alliance Party is turning to you for support in appealing to rich countries and international financial institutions to defer the least developed countries’ debts affected by the coronavirus crisis. The Socialist People’s Alliance wishes to build a global solidarity campaign with you that aims to persuade international financial institutions to respond to this fair demand to mitigate the impact of the disaster on the people in these countries.
Friends, you know, of course, that the coronavirus crisis has serious economic, social and political implications because it affects not only the health and opportunities of people in life, but also because of preventive measures (restriction of movement and prevention of assembly) means the loss of jobs for millions of people. Seasonal and temporary workers as well as workers in the maritime and air transport, tourism and service sectors are particularly affected.
Millions of people in all countries of the world are affected. However, in the rich countries, government aid is not limited to fighting the epidemic and protecting human life, it is also providing resources to combat job cuts, economic collapse and worsening incomes. In the least developed economies, on the other hand, the crisis has exacerbated the already precarious situation by the decline in global trade. Protective measures are urgently needed for the social support of the groups concerned, as the rich countries are doing for their citizens now. However, if the less developed countries continue to meet their debt settlement obligations during this crisis, they will not be able to use their resources to support the population.
The lives of millions of people are threatened and new groups will quickly slide below the poverty line, which will not only have a negative impact on all social and political areas, as well as on security and stability in these countries, but also on those of the whole world. Today’s world is a small village where crises flow from their locations across the ocean and negatively impact everyone’s security.
We hope to be able to work together to achieve this. Together it is possible to get out of the catastrophic effects of the crisis, just as it is possible to achieve the goal of a better world.
Medhat El Zahed
President of the Party
Cairo, March 21, 2020
