Press releases

Fifty-five NGOs have been deeply alarmed at the scale of human suffering seen in the country in the past six weeks, and so welcome the recent signing in Addis Ababa of a cessation of hostilities agreement between the Government of South Sudan and the opposition forces.

While yesterday’s ceasefire is a sign of political progress, efforts to support the more than 50,000 South Sudanese refugees in Uganda remain grossly under resourced, and host communities are being pushed to the breaking point.

Progress by G20 Finance Ministers toward tackling the issue of multinational tax avoidance has been welcomed by Oxfam Australia Chief Executive Dr. Helen Szoke, though there is a need for more specifics on how and when low-income countries will benefit.

The World Bank has been forced to backtrack on a controversial investment in Corporación Dinant, a palm oil company implicated in serious human rights abuses in Honduras. The Bank’s private-sector lending arm the International Finance Corporation (IFC) today admitted errors and promised to ‘refine’ its action plan and ‘reflect on’ internal problems that led to mistakes.

The Geneva II Conference, which opens today, must deliver real change in the lives of ordinary Syrians. Worldwide development organization Oxfam calls for increased participation of women and civil society organizations in peace process.

Wealthy elites have co-opted political power to rig the rules of the economic game, undermining democracy and creating a world where the 85 richest people own the wealth of half of the world’s population, worldwide development organization Oxfam warns in a report published today. 

Civilians fleeing from conflict in South Sudan are spiralling into debt and leaving behind important assets in their desperate search for safety.

The Netherlands is No. 1 in the world for having the most plentiful, nutritious, healthy and affordable diet, beating France and Switzerland into second place. Chad is last in 125th spot behind Ethiopia and Angola, according to a new food database by worldwide development organization Oxfam.

Second International Pledging Conference for Syria in Kuwait: States must give generously and ensure that they help Syrians’ desperately in need of humanitarian assistance, and follow up with action in Geneva.

Oxfam New Zealand has sent an emergency response team to Tonga today and is gearing up its aid efforts following reports of complete destruction left by Cyclone Ian to the northern islands of Ha’apai.