Poverty

More than 215 organizations sent a letter to the G20 and IMF to issue $3 trillion in global reserves, known as Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). Spanning the globe, the signers argue that SDRs will help countries suffering from the coronavirus crisis and, "send a strong signal of renewed multilateral coordination..."

Chad became the first country to officially seek debt reduction under a G20-established coronavirus response process. In the fall, the G20 approved the “Common Framework for Debt Treatment beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative.” Up to 73 of the world’s poorest countries could seek support under the mechanism."This is the first test of the G20 debt reduction process and the process must deliver serious relief for Chad," stated Eric LeCompte, the Executive Director of the religious development group Jubilee USA Network.

Washington DC – Congress passed additional Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits for Puerto Rico as part of its $900 billion COVID stimulus plan.“During the pandemic too many people in Puerto Rico suffered cuts to food benefits,” said Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of the religious development group Jubilee USA. “The new food assistance in the stimulus bill impacts 1.5 million people on the island.”Since the pandemic hit, Puerto Rico religious leaders, US national faith groups and Jubilee USA encouraged Congress to include Puerto Rico in stimulus package plans.

Analyzing the economic crisis spurred by the coronavirus, the International Monetary Fund released the Global Financial Stability Report and the 2020 World Economic Outlook Report, "A Long and Difficult Ascent." The economic outlook report projects global economic growth to contract 4.4%.