Parliamentarians from around the world unite to call on IMF and World Bank to act on Ukraine crisis

Parliamentarians from twenty seven countries have come together to call on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to rapidly assemble a huge aid package for Ukraine. In a letter coordinated by the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF, MP’s from around the world unequivocally condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reaffirmed thier commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity – and called on Russia to immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine and completely withdraw its military forces from within Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders. The members of parliament went on to call on the Shareholders, Boards and Leadership of the World Bank and IMF to coordinate a rapid six point plan that maximised support for Ukraine, in coordination with Ukraine’s authorities: The measures include: 1. Mobilising IMF emergency financing through the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) including but not limited to Ukraine’s IMF quota of $28 billion. 2. Maximising deployment of IMF resourcing through the Stand-By Arrangement, including; but only if necessary; moving beyond the outstanding sum of US$2.2 billion. 3. Mobilizing the World Bank Global Crisis Risk Platform to rapidly understand the economic and social impacts of the invasion to Ukraine and to share this publicly as a matter of urgency 4. Setting out clearly and quickly the scale of World Banks fast-disbursing financing and technical support to Ukraine 5. Rapidly deploy World Bank support to Ukraine’s neighbors to help secure support for what might be as many as four million refugees. 6. Deploying World Bank and IMF mechanisms to help countries overcome the negative economic effects of this crisis, particularly concerning the rising prices of food commodities and energy costs. Liam Byrne, the chair of the international Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF said from London; “The world is watching in horror as an illegal invasion now triggers a humanitarian disaster in violation of the UN’s founding charter. It is now vital that the International financial institutions, created a year before the UN, now act radically and rapidly to put in place the aid needed in Ukraine and its neighbours to save lives. ’The IMF and World Bank’s leaders and shareholders must now pull out all the stops to do the right thing for Ukraine. There is no time to lose.” Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF  Ms. Milva Ekonomi, Minister of State, Albania Ms. Senida Mesi, Former MP and Deputy Prime Minister, Albania Hon. Othmar Karas MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Austria Senator Mark Demesmaeker, Chair of the Committee on Transversal Affairs, Belgian Senate, Belgium Senator, Percy E. Downe, Senate of Canada, Canada Hon. Ziad Aboultaif MP, House of Commons, Canada Hon. Madjara Tiegbana Coulibaly MP, Board Member of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF, National Assembly, Côte d’Ivoire Hon. Marco Pavic MP, Chair of Committee on Regional Development and European Union Funds, Parliament of Croatia, Croatia Hon. Vesna Vučemilović MP, Parliament of Croatia, Croatia Senator Jerome Bascher, Senate of France, France Senator André Gattolin, Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Senate of France, France Hon. Hervé Berville MP, National Assembly, France Hon. Valérie Thomas MP, National Assembly, France Hon. Jean Pierre Doukaga MP, Panafrican Parliament, Gabon Hon. Dr. Lars Castellucci MP, German Bundestag, Germany Hon. Collins Adomako-Mensah MP, Treasurer of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF, Parliament of Ghana, Ghana Hon. Karen Cummings MP, Parliament of Guyana, Guyana Hon. Marlene M. Forte MP, Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF, Chamber of Representatives, Jamaica Hon. Shakeel Ahmed MP, APNAC, Parliament of Kenya, Kenya H.E. Ambassador Muharrem Shabani, Ambassador for Peace Liaison Office to the United Nations Permanent Representation Observer of Kosovo, Kosovo Hon. Lukas Savickas MP, Vice-Chair of Future Committee, Parliament of Lithuania, Lithuania Hon. Morgana Daniele MP, Chair of Committee, Parliament of Lithuania, Lithuania Hon. Sven Clement MP, Chamber of Deputies, Luxembourg Hon. Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin MP, Chairman of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Malaysian Branch, Malaysia Senator Neila Tazi, Chamber of Councillors, Morocco Hon. Gagan Thapa MP, Board Member of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF, House of Representative Nepal Hon. Ramesh Paudyal MP, Provincial Parliament, Bagmati, Nepal Hon. Hassana Dandobi Boubacar MP, Parliament of Niger, Niger Hon. Steve Azaiki, Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF, Parliament of Nigeria, Nigeria Hon. Dr. Ricardo B. Leite, Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF, Parliament of Portugal, Portugal Hon. Simina Tulbure MP, Chamber of Deputies, Romania Hon. Marion Fellows MP, House of Commons, Scotland Senator Antonio Alarcó, Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF, Senate of Spain, Spain Hon. Anastasia Radina MP, Head of the Anticorruption Committee, Parliament of Ukraine, Ukraine Hon. Yaroslav Yurchyshyn MP, First Deputy Head of Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy, Parliament of Ukraine, Ukraine Hon. Yevheniia Kravchuk MP, Deputy Chair of the Committee, Parliament of Ukraine, Ukraine Hon. Allan Dorans MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Lord Andrew Stunell, House of Lords, United Kingdom Baroness Angela Harris of Richmond, House of Lords, United Kingdom Baroness Sarah Ludford, Liberal Democrat Europe Spokesman in the House of Lords, House of Lords, United Kingdom Baroness Sheehan, Peer, House of Lords, United Kingdom Hon. Ben Bradshaw MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Lord Browne of Ladyton, House of Lords, United Kingdom Hon. Caroline Lucas MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Clive Efford MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Darren Jones MP, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, House of Commons, United Kingdom Lord David Lipsey, Peer, House of Lords,United Kingdom Hon. Diana Johnson MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Dr. Lisa Cameron MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Dr. Philippa Whitford MP, SNP Westminster Spokesperson on Europe, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. George Howarth MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Baroness Hilary Armstrong, Chair of Public Services Committee, House of Lords, United Kingdom Lord James Arbuthnot, Peer, House of Lords, United Kingdom The Rt Hon. Lord Knight of Weymouth, House of Lords, United Kingdom Hon. John Mc Nally MP, Environment spokesperson S.N.P., House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Jonathan Djanogly MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Jonathan Lord MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Kerry McCarthy MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Kim Leadbeater MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom The Lord Swinfen, House of Lords, United Kingdom Lord Oates, House of Lords, United Kingdom Hon. Marie Rimmer MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Lord Grade of Yarmouth, Peer, United Kingdom Hon. Mike Amesbury MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Mohammad Yasin MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Baroness Natalie Bennett, House of Lords, United Kingdom Hon. Patrick Grady MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Paul Blomfield MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Paula Barker MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Lord Philip Hunt, House of Lords, United Kingdom Rt Hon. Lord David Triesman, Former Foreign Minister & Football Association Chairman, House of Lords, United Kingdom Hon. Robert Seely MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Roger Gale MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom The Rt Hon. Sir Desmond Swayne MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Baroness Sally Greengross, Peer, House of Lords, United Kingdom Hon. Sarah Champion MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Baroness Kramer, Liberal Democrat Lords Treasury Spokesperson, House of Lords, United Kingdom Hon. Yasmin Qureshi MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Baroness Boycott, House of Lords, United Kingdom Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, House of Lords, United Kingdom The Lord Balfe, House of Lords, United Kingdom Hon. Ali Rushanara MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Angus McNeil, MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Julie Elliot MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom Hon. Betty McCollum MP, Congresswoman, Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, House of Representatives, United States of America