Third World Foundation

From 1980 to 1988, the BCCI foundation Third World Foundation "bestowed an annial Third World Prize of $100,000 as follows:


 * 1980. Dr. Paul Prebish, international development economist from Argentina. At the time, BCCI was seeking to enter Argentina through nominees.
 * 1981. Dr. Julius Nyerere, President of Tanzania. The Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, presented the prize. At the time, BCCI had alleged financial relationships with various persons associated with Gandhi and was seeking to expand in Tanzania.


 * 1982. Zhao Ziyang, the Chinese premier. Again, BCCI was looking to, and soon thereafter was able to, become one of the first foreign banks to open offices in China.


 * 1983. Professor Arvid Pardo, a UN diplomatic from Malta, whose prize was presented by Belisario Betancur, President of Colombia. In 1983, BCCI purchased a bank in Colombia through nominees.


 * 1984. Willy Brandt, former German chancellor, with UN Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar giving his approval.


 * 1985. Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela.


 * 1986. Musician Bob Geldorf, for his work in raising funds for the hungry in Ethiopia.


 * 1987. The International Planned Parenthood Federation of India, presented by Jose Sarney, President of Brazil. In this very period, BCCI was seeking to strengthen its ties to President Sarney, and had just purchased a bank in Brazil through nominees which included close associates of Sarney.


 * 1988. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the Norweigian Prime Minister, presented by Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. Mugabe had according to many BCCI officials received cash payments from BCCI in previous years.(7)

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Altaf Gauhar