(CEN) Before Christmas the British Government launched the Mauritius Mandate, a five point plan to help resolve the debt problems of the poorer countries of the world and to enable them to reach a point of sustainable growth. The launch was attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinal Hume of the Roman Catholic Church.

Speaking at the launch, the Archbishop called the Mandate "a significant step on the road towards the alleviation of the burden of debt faced by so many of the poorest countries in the world". He praised the Chancellor for "pressing for the acceptance of the proposed measures in the wider international community."

The Archbishop went on to say that poverty was a hindrance to world peace. "Many countries now facing devastation from war and revolution are precisely those which are on the list of the most heavily indebted poor countries.

The fact that most developing countries were paying out more in debt repayments than they were receiving in aid, was, he said, "not only illogical, it is immoral". He spoke in particular detail of Mozambique, believed to be the poorest country in the world, where the Anglican Church has been instrumental in developing helpful projects for regeneration after the country's civil war.

Such projects were hindered by Mozambique's "enormous debt burden", he said.

"I want to challenge our Government, therefore, to show its commitment to the Mauritius Mandate by reaching, if necessary, a unilateral pledge to give at least 90 per cent relief to Mozambique....I suspect that many of our own people have very little idea of the true nature of the poverty faced by millions and millions of people in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

"I am privileged to have the opportunity from time to time to see and hear them. They demand justice and I am more than happy to add my voice to the campaign to ensure that their demand is heard and acted upon."

Christian Aid, one of the Jubilee 2000 member organisations has launched its own 'mandate', a report entitled, The New Abolitionists.

Comparing the 19th century slave trade to the modern debt crisis, the report was launched to bring the problem of debt to the attention of G8 leaders who will meet in Birmingham in May.

"Over one million people are estimated to have died in passage during the Atlantic slave trade," said the report's author, Andrew Simms. "But the modern debt crisis could cause the deaths of 21 million children before the next millennium. Our new year's pledge is to stop that happening."