By Linda Bordoni
As the Church marks the ninth World Day of the Poor, the European Laudato Si’ Alliance (ELSiA) is urging the European Union to take action to address the global debt crisis, which is undermining poverty eradication efforts and threatening sustainable development across the Global South.
Formed in 2018, ELSiA is a network of seven Catholic organisations, including Caritas Europa, working together to bring Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato si’ to life in Europe. The alliance’s mission, says Luisa Fondello, Senior International Cooperation Officer at Caritas Europa, is “to promote ecological justice based on the social teaching of the Church,” both through policy advocacy and practical initiatives for sustainable lifestyles.
“We created the alliance to ensure that the vision of Laudato si’– care for creation and care for the poor – becomes concrete in European policies and in the daily lives of communities,” Fondello explains.
This year’s World Day of the Poor, instituted by Pope Francis in 2017 and reaffirmed by Pope Leo XIV in his first Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te, provides the alliance with an opportunity to renew its appeal to European policymakers to put the dignity of the human person at the centre of economic decisions.
The worst debt crisis in history
At the heart of ELSiA’s call is the global debt crisis, which, according to Fondello, has reached “the worst in history,” affecting over a hundred low- and middle-income countries.
“Right now, 2.4 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments on public debt than on healthcare or education,” she says. “That means poverty reduction efforts are being seriously undermined.”
Fondello stresses that poverty is not limited to monetary deprivation. It also encompasses access to education, healthcare, and infrastructure, basic elements necessary for human dignity.
“If we consider poverty in this broader sense,” she adds, “then it becomes clear that the debt crisis must be at the forefront of the European Union’s agenda.”
ELSiA’s statement for the World Day of the Poor calls on the EU to support the creation of a democratic and transparent global debt resolution mechanism, ideally under the auspices of the United Nations. Such a framework, the alliance argues, would ensure that debt negotiations are conducted fairly and with the participation of civil society, prioritising the needs of people rather than financial markets.
“Old recipes won’t do”
Fondello points out that the current international debt governance is fragmented and often biased in favour of creditors. “There’s no binding mechanism, no common principles, no transparency,” she explains.
“Countries in the Global South that cannot pay back their public debt have no democratic space to negotiate fair solutions.”
That is why ELSiA is calling for what it terms a “transformative approach”.
“Old recipes or the status quo really won’t do,” Fondello insists. “We need a new global framework where both borrowers and creditors are accountable, where debt relief is linked to human development and environmental sustainability.”
A Jubilee call for justice
Fondello places the alliance’s appeal within the context of the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, a time traditionally associated with reconciliation and renewal. She notes that Pope Francis himself had called for “debt forgiveness” for poor nations as part of the Jubilee spirit – a message now echoed by Pope Leo XIV.
“We would like the European Union to take this Jubilee year seriously,” she says. “It’s not only a symbolic moment but a concrete opportunity to act. Helping the poor and finding a solution to the debt crisis is a matter of justice before it is even a question of charity.”
A moral test for society
For Fondello and for ELSiA members, the World Day of the Poor is not just an annual commemoration: it is a moral benchmark.
“The way our societies and our policies treat those experiencing poverty, discrimination, and oppression tells us a lot about who we are,” Fondello reflects. “It’s a basic moral test for any society.”
The alliance’s statement echoes this conviction, quoting Pope Leo XIV’s call in Dilexi te to “make a decisive and radical choice in favour of the weakest.” It urges EU leaders to recognise the human cost of inaction and to lead in building a multilateral system based on cooperation, inclusion, and shared responsibility.
“Teachers and nurses are being sacrificed,” the statement reads, “as vital public services are gutted to repay high-interest loans to rich creditors.” It warns that without reform, debt will continue to fuel inequality, weaken climate action, and stall development, creating a cycle of impoverishment that affects all nations.
A call to moral leadership
Fondello is adamant that the European Union has both the means and the moral responsibility to act.
“The EU can show true leadership by supporting the establishment of a debt resolution framework at the UN level,” she says. “This would be a significant step toward a future where everyone has a home, food, healthcare, and education.”
On this World Day of the Poor, ELSiA’s appeal resonates with the Gospel imperative to care for the least among us in a world that “struggles against hunger, poverty, weeping, and suffering by choosing the path of justice and peace.”
Turn Debt into Hope
Despite seemingly insurmountable current political and economic challenges, Fondello says she remains hopeful. That’s why, she explains, Caritas Europa and its partners have launched a campaign called Turn Debt into Hope to raise public awareness and build momentum for change.
“We are guided by hope,” she says. “We’ve seen progress this year – more politicians are talking about the debt issue, and there’s growing support from institutions like the African Union for a UN debt resolution mechanism.”
The campaign, open to individuals and organisations worldwide, invites citizens to sign a petition in support of a fairer debt system. “Everyone who believes in justice and solidarity can join,” Fondello adds. “The website is easy to find: turndebtintohope.caritas.org.” – Vatican News
