Media Releases

Reaction to Government update on agriculture emissions

December 21, 2022

In reaction to today’s update on agriculture emissions, Oxfam Aotearoa’s Climate Justice Lead Nick Henry, said:

“We are frustrated that the Government is not taking climate destruction seriously enough. We should be aiming for the lowest possible climate pollution, not the lowest possible price on agricultural emissions.

“While we welcome Aotearoa New Zealand’s pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030, these current proposals to price agricultural emissions are estimated to reduce methane emissions by only around 4%. It doesn’t add up.

“The experts have spoken: reducing methane pollution now, as part of reducing total carbon emissions, is essential to avoiding the climate crisis getting worse for us here in Aotearoa, for our friends and whānau in the Pacific, and around the world.

“The Government needs to support our farmers to do their fair share of reducing climate pollution by fully pricing emissions and funding a shift to regenerative low emissions agriculture.”

Oxfam Aotearoa calls for:

A pricing system that ensures agriculture contributes a fair share of the emission reductions needed to meet our domestic and international commitments, including the Global Methane Pledge.
Emissions need to be priced now, not 2025.
The government must scrap the 95 percent discount – the agriculture industry should be paying their fair share.
The government needs to invest in equipping farmers to shift production modes and adjust land use to build a flourishing, regenerative organic food and fibre sector.

Reaction to WTO delay on easing intellectual property rules on COVID tests and treatment

December 19, 2022

Responding to news that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will push back its deadline to reach a deal on easing intellectual property rules on Covid-19 tests and treatments to support the production of cheaper generic equivalents in developing countries, Max Lawson, Co-Chair of the People’s Vaccine Alliance and Head of Inequality Policy at Oxfam, said:

“We are nearly three years into the Covid-19 pandemic. As many as seventeen million people are estimated to have died in the time that the WTO has bickered over intellectual property rules for tests and treatments. To say that more time is needed to consider the issue is utter nonsense.

“Developing countries and civil society groups had hoped that the WTO had learned from its mistakes; that the cruel injustice of vaccine apartheid would not be repeated. Even the EU has previously said it would support action on tests and treatments. But WTO members have decided to let another year pass without making any meaningful contribution to the fight against Covid-19.

“Each day of delay will push an ever-greater share of the global toll of severe illness, deaths, and economic damage onto developing countries. That should haunt the conscience of the rich country leaders and negotiators responsible for the failure to meet the deadline.”

Notes to editors

This is a response to a text from the WTO TRIPS council: IP-C-95 I Report to the General Council.pdf
A waiver of intellectual property rules for COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments was first proposed by India and South Africa at a WTO meeting on 15 and 16 October 2020. There have been 5,486,438 officially recorded global COVID-19 deaths between 16 Oct 2020 and 15 December 2022, according to Oxford University’s Our World In Data. A paper from the World Health Organisation (WHO) this week estimated that the true death toll was between 2.4 and 3.1 times higher than the officially reported number of COVID-19-related deaths. By that measure, there have been up to 17,007,957 COVID-related deaths in this period.
50 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called on the EU to publicly and explicitly reiterate its support for a deal on intellectual property rules for COVID-19 tests and treatments: https://www.groen.be/letter_to_support_a_wide_trips_waiver
More than 160 civil society organisations and experts have called on the WTO Director-General to step in to prevent a further delay to any deal: https://app.box.com/s/ud3za0dyceyjz16ovdfl9igl3jurv0x0
The WTO reached a deal on vaccine intellectual property in June, pledging to agree on whether to extend the decision to cover tests and treatments within six months. The deadline is 17 December: https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/WT/MIN22/W15R2.pdf&Open=True
Last week, the US called for the deadline to be pushed back: https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2022/december/us-support-extension-deadline-wto-trips-ministerial-decision-requests-usitc-investigation-provide-0
Just one in every fifty COVID-19 tests is administered in a low or middle-income country, despite these countries accounting for 84% of the world’s population: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/act-accelerator-facilitation-council-working-group-report-on-diagnostics-and-therapeutics
There is very little publicly available data on access to COVID-19 treatments. However, orders of Paxlovid, the Pfizer-produced treatment with the highest recommendation from the WHO, indicate that three quarters of all orders will go to rich countries: https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/just-quarter-pfizers-covid-19-treatment-orders-will-go-developing-countries
Dr. Ayoade Alakija, co-chair of the African Vaccine Delivery Alliance and special envoy to WHO ACT-A, has said that “zero” doses have reached low-income countries: https://twitter.com/yodifiji/status/1595048900615864322
Many low and middle-income countries, particularly in Latin America, are excluded from licensing agreements for generic versions of COVID-19 treatments. This means they could pay $250 for a course of treatment instead of $25/course for a generic equivalent – ten times as much: https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/just-quarter-pfizers-covid-19-treatment-orders-will-go-developing-countries
The pharmaceutical company lobbying operation against an intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments, was revealed in an investigation by Politico and the Bureau for Investigative Journalism: https://www.politico.eu/article/covid-vaccine-poor-countries-waiver-killed/

New Somalia hunger figures – Oxfam reaction

December 14, 2022

The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) figures for Somalia, shows that Somalia remains on the brink of famine. 5.6 million people are now in crisis or worse levels of food insecurity and this is expected to rise to 6.4 million by March 2023, and 8.3 million by June 2023. By June 2023, the number of people in catastrophic levels of hunger (IPC Phase 5) is expected to double to 727,000.

Parvin Ngala, Oxfam’s Regional Director for the Horn, East, and Central Africa said:

“Famine in Somalia is postponed, not prevented. People are dying now from hunger, malnutrition and disease in the worst hunger crisis in living memory. Current efforts can only hold off a full-scale catastrophe for a limited time. Without an urgent and major increase in aid, many more people will die.

Somalia has suffered from failed rains for five consecutive seasons. This is unprecedented. The catastrophic drought has caused crop failures and livestock deaths on a mass scale. Millions of people have lost their sources of income and food.

Meanwhile, the price of staple food has skyrocketed, making food unaffordable for poor households. And to make matters worse, the long-running conflict particularly in central and southern Somalia persists, forcing people from their homes, disrupting markets and access, and restricting aid.

This is a terrible vicious circle. Within a few months, it’s likely that nearly half the entire population of Somalia could be severely hungry and there will be more communities facing starvation.

Despite the extreme human suffering, only about half of the UN appeal is currently funded. Donors must immediately inject money to meet the US$2.27bn UN appeal for Somalia and help the government to scale up its social protection programmes.”

Notes to the editor

As of 6 December 2022, only 55.1% of the current US$2.27bn UN appeal was funded, Source: https://fts.unocha.org/countries/206/summary/2022

European countries water down landmark EU law to clean up business

December 6, 2022

Today, European justice ministers agreed on a proposal for a law to make companies accountable for the damage they cause to people and the planet.

In response, Oxfam EU’s Economic Justice Policy Lead, Marc-Olivier Herman, said:

“Today, European countries watered down a landmark proposal to clean up business and stop corporate abuse. It is a loss for the women and men who work in terrible conditions around the world to make the goods that end up in our shopping trolleys. The only ones celebrating today is the regressive business lobby.

“The original proposal was already a far cry from the game-changer law we expected. Now, after EU countries played their part, it is only weaker.

On civil liability, Herman said: “There are more and more loopholes allowing companies to escape their obligations to clean up their business.”

On the financial sector: “The financial sector can continue to bankroll human rights violations and damage to the planet without being held accountable as it remains up to each European country to decide whether they want to make banks and other financial players clean up business.”

On survivors accessing justice: “The playing field has been tipped towards companies to the extent that we do not know if the law will even make a difference to survivors of corporate injustice.”

On climate obligations: “The climate crisis, the biggest challenge of our times, remains an afterthought in the Council’s version of the legislation.”

“Now the European Parliament should pick up the tab left by European ministers. They must make sure that companies, including banks and investors, are held responsible for their harm to people and the planet.”

Notes to editors

Read our media briefing which breaks down the key issues in the proposal, and what the EU needs to do to make it better.

Read Oxfam’s report, Not in this Together, which details slavery-like conditions in the coffee industry in Brazil, workers in the Indian tea sector not able to make a living wage, and rice workers in Pakistan working up to 12 hours daily in extreme temperatures amongst others.

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Eunice Wotene announced as Executive Director for Oxfam in the Pacific

December 1, 2022

The Trust Board for Oxfam in the Pacific is pleased to appoint Eunice Wotene as Executive Director, Trust Board Chair Freda Kanek Talao announced.

Eunice is an experienced finance and operations director with a demonstrated commitment to international aid, development, and equality for people in the Pacific. Eunice has been acting in the role of Interim Regional Director since March 2022, and first joined Oxfam in Papua New Guinea in 2014.

Ms Kanek Talao said that Eunice’s leadership and deep commitment to the values of Oxfam made her the ideal person to guide the Pacific’s transition.

“After an extensive international search for the right candidate, we could not be more thrilled to announce the appointment of Eunice Wotene as Oxfam in the Pacific Executive Director,” Ms Kanek Talao said.

“Eunice is an outstanding example Pacific leadership and holds an exceptional knowledge of the Pacific journey for Oxfam. Her commitment to the issues that affect our people and our region has been demonstrated to the highest calibre during her years of tenure with Oxfam Papua New Guinea and Oxfam in the Pacific.

“Eunice’s appointment marks yet another milestone in our journey to self-determination, and we are deeply proud of Eunice’s achievements and eager to see the future of transformation under her leadership.”

Eunice’s appointment comes at a significant time for Oxfam in the Pacific as they continue the consolidation of the new approach toward becoming an independent regional affiliate of the Oxfam global confederation; having announced the appointment of the first Pacific Islander, Freda Kanek Talao, to chair the Trust Board in July 2022.

The Oxfam in the Pacific Trust Board was established to govern the path to self-determination of Oxfam in the Pacific.

“The journey that Oxfam in the Pacific is on is very similar to my personal journey, to be independent and self-reliant is not easy, it has its own challenges and requires commitment, and determination, and the ability to appreciate that mistakes does not mean failure but an opportunity to learn and grow,” Ms Wotene said.

“I am humbled to be appointed as Executive Director for Oxfam in the Pacific and I look forward to working with you all.”

The Trust Board for Oxfam in the Pacific wishes Eunice well in her new role.

Global humanitarian needs highest on record

November 30, 2022

In reaction to today’s UN 2023 Global Humanitarian Outlook report, revealing that 339 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid – the highest caseload in history – Oxfam’s Global Humanitarian Director, Marta Valdes Garcia said:

“One in every 23 people around the world –the equivalent of nearly half of the entire population of Europe– is now in urgent need of humanitarian aid. This news must be an immediate wake-up call.

“The humanitarian needs are outstripping the aid system’s ability to respond. We have to rethink not only how we try to meet those needs, but what the failures are of global systems that are leading to such rapidly growing inequality in the first place.

“Humanitarian aid is flatlining but, again, we’re seeing the UN appealing for even more resources, from the same pool of donors, to help even more desperate people trying to cope in crisis. Again, those most in need will receive only a pittance of what they are asking for.

“The global humanitarian system is already overwhelmed. We know that people are being made homeless, hungry and sick by climate change, conflict, poverty and inequality, and economic failures – but these are not isolated issues, they’re the same endemic crises.

“We must not wait any longer. We need a radical overhaul of how our global systems work, putting the dignity and rights of people in crisis first.

“We must both immediately respond to this unprecedented humanitarian need and find ways to change a runaway global financial system where the few are benefitting at the cost of the many. How can we have hundreds of new food and energy billionaires yet we cannot fund basic humanitarian needs to stop millions of people from starving?

“Donors must immediately meet the UN global humanitarian appeal to help save lives now. Funding to prevent disasters should have no strings attached; and to nip escalating crises in the bud, decisions and actions must be led by local communities themselves.

“National governments must also tackle the root causes of poverty and inequality that worsens the blow of disasters on those already suffering. One key way this can be done is by injecting resources into global public goods, from climate adaptation to social protection.

“There is already so much insight into what a new global system could be – at heart, by tackling global inequality, climate change and conflict, and focusing on local leadership. What is dismally lacking is the political courage.”

Notes to editors

Since 2016 Oxfam, together with 60+ INGOs, UN Agencies, and donor governments, has committed to putting communities and local leaders at the heart of humanitarian responses and to making the humanitarian system more efficient and effective. Together with 50+ NGOs we have signed this joint statement in reaction to this GHO report.

Learn more: Hunger in a Heating World