Press releases

Today the European Parliament gave the green light to the European Markets Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR) designed to regulate shady ‘over the counter’ (OTC) derivatives. NGOs welcomed the introduction of clearing and reporting obligations for these financial products as a crucial step towards regulating vital agricultural commodity derivatives markets.

The current food crisis in Niger is likely to escalate into a full-scale humanitarian emergency if urgent action is not taken, international agency Oxfam warned today. Already, 1.9 million people are at severe risk, and by April, this number could rise to 3.5 million people if help doesn’t come now, according to the National Early Warning System.

Oxfam's Elizabeth Stuart said:

It's good to see genuine debate about getting credible, legitimate leadership at the World Bank. This is a field of eminently qualified candidates. 

According to a recent field study conducted in communities in western and eastern Niger, between 70 and 90 per cent of people estimate their food stocks will run out before the next harvest, creating an imminent ‘hunger gap’.

Yemen is at the crossroads of humanitarian catastrophe international aid agency Oxfam said today in reaction to new figures from the World Food Programme, which showed a radical increase in the number of people facing severe hunger in the country.

Humanitarian actors are concerned by the early depletion of food reserves of many Nigerien families and warn of the risk of aggravation of the food and nutrition crisis if the aid response is not rapidly reinforced.

Some 13 million people are at severe risk from a food crisis which is set to escalate into a full scale humanitarian emergency in the Sahel region of West and Central Africa if urgent action is not taken.

Oxfam and State Street Corporation today announce that State Street will become the first global sponsor of Oxfam’s popular Oxfam Trailwalker and Oxfam Trailtrekker endurance events around the world. Over 22,000 people will participate in 15 events this year in 12 countries, raising about $18 million.

Barbara Stocking, Chief Executive Oxfam said:

Oxfam calls on governments meeting at the London Somalia Conference tomorrow to develop a coherent strategy towards the country that shifts away from the emphasis on short term security and anti-terror concerns towards a long term engagement that prioritizes the interests of ordinary Somalis.