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