Ask Germany and France to Keep Their Promise to the World's Poor
- by: ONE (OLD)
- recipient: Chancellor Merkel, President Sarkozy
In January 2011, French President Nicolas Sarkozy proclaimed that France was ready to implement by the end of the year, a financial transactions tax (or FTT for short) to help poor countries. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has also shown her support.
Sarkozy promised: "My conviction has always been that the FTT is the best form of innovative financing.... France is prepared to implement innovative financing mechanisms even if other countries should choose not to join. Because there is a moment in time where you have to go from discourse to setting an example."
But so far no agreement has yet been reached. It's urgent that France and Germany take concrete action to drive this joint proposal forward and to ensure that the revenues will be used to help reach the Millennium Development Goals.
To encourage them, they need to hear a clear "OUI" and "JA". Poor countries can't afford to wait!
Dear Chancellor Merkel, Dear President Sarkozy,
Please go ahead with the introduction of an FTT in your countries and with European partners as soon as possible and please invest the revenues to lift people out of extreme poverty.
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