London 2001

PNoWB held its Second Annual Conference in the House of Commons, in London on January 28-29, 2001. 

More than 85 parliamentarians from 32 countries participated in the meeting, including for the first time the United States, Canada and Japan, as well as observers from international parliamentary networks such as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. 

The Conference aimed to pursue the dialogue between parliamentarians and the World Bank which begun in The Hague and to agree upon the mission and the structure of the PNoWB.  Keynote speakers included Clare Short, Secretary of State for International Development (UK); World Bank Vice Presidents Callisto Madavo, Nick Stern, and Jean-François Rischard; Trevor Manuel, Minister of Finance, South Africa; and Poul Nielson, Commissioner for Development European Commission.

The conference focused on issues of globalisation and governance; Africa; the future of foreign aid and debt relief, and further discussion followed during break-out sessions on corruption, trade and development, and representation of European countries in international financial institutions. A plenary session was devoted to discuss the mission and activities of the PNoWB and the participants had the opportunity to elect a new steering committee, composed of nine members from nine different countries.

The event was sponsored by the Department of International Development (DFID) of United Kingdom. 

Event: The Second Annual Conference of the PNoWB
Date:  January 28-29, 2001
Venue: The House of Commons, London, UK