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RELIEF RESOURCE
05 Jul 2002
G8 action plan a start, but Africa deserves better
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Campaigns journalist Andrew Pendleton of Christian Aid attended the Group of Eight summit in Canada in June and argues that it was a step in the right direction for the leaders of the world's richest and most powerful countries to be listening to Africa. But, he says, Africa needs altruistic assistance on a similar scale to the Marshall Plan for Europe after World War Two.
There comes a time during any crisis when only an action equal and opposite to the crisis itself will begin to turn events around. Africa, with its multitude of emergencies, and its catalogue of human catastrophes, has reached that point. The act it requires is one of monumental, mould-breaking altruism.
This year's G8 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, billed as the big bang for Africa's future development, produced little more than a whimper. Meeting in their rocky mountain retreat, at a safe distance from the world's media, G8 leaders listened to Africa; undoubtedly a step in the right direction. But they also had the opportunity to write their names indelibly into the history books on Africa. All they managed were a few notes pencilled into the margin.
Or as Kofi Annan, the U.N. Secretary-General, put it: "If the G8 really carry out the action plan they are announcing, this summit might come to be seen as a turning point in the history of Africa."
The G8 must take some credit for having been willing at least to discuss Africa, and for publishing the outcome of their discussions with African leaders in an action plan for the world's poorest continent. Prior to the summit both Tony Blair of Britain and Jean Chr?tien of Canada had nailed their political colours to the mast with trips to Africa. Even Paul O'Neill, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, flew rock star Bono to Africa on Air Force Two.
For all their endeavours, the resulting G8 Africa Action Plan is long on plan and short on action.
The emphasis on what Tony Blair called a "framework" for Africa, and the absence of action in proportion to the scale of Africa's crisis, tells the whole story. The fact that African leaders and the G8 have spoken in both Italy and Canada and will speak again in France next year is significant.
But it will be of little comfort to the 12 million African children already orphaned as a result of AIDS or to the half-a-billion still living under the shadow of Africa's debt to the West. The 300 million people who live on less than $1 per day could be forgiven for being sceptical about this latest G8 initiative -- were they to know about it -- since broken promises on Africa are hardly uncommon.
It was at the G8 summit in Cologne in 1999 that leaders promised to write-off $100 billion of the debts of 42 poor countries, 34 of which are in Africa. Sadly, three years later, less than half of the figure promised has been cancelled and many of the countries that have had debt relief are still spending more on repaying debt than on health care and education.
At last year's G8 summit, leaders launched an ambitious global fund to fight diseases of poverty, including HIV/AIDS. Earlier, Kofi Annan had called for an additional $7-$10 billion per year to tackle AIDS, a disease which only this week the U.N. has said could claim the lives of 68 million people worldwide in the next two decades. The global fund has hitherto attracted less than $2 billion to be spread over five years. Action, yes, but hardly proportionate.
It is undoubtedly true that the Japanese and Americans are the least willing to commit themselves to any further action on Africa. Perhaps both should reflect on the historical precedent for the scale of action required. Indeed the greatest modern act of international altruism was down to the Americans.
In 1948, the U.S. government, led by Secretary of State George C. Marshall, approved a plan to help post-war recovery in Europe worth over $13 billion -- one per cent of its national wealth -- over five years. Significantly, Secretary Marshall said: "Europe's requirements are so much greater than her present ability to pay that she must have substantial help or face economic, social and political deterioration of a very grave character."
Marshall's words could so easily apply to 21st century Africa. The leaders of wealthy countries are in agreement that a recovery plan is needed and are prepared to go as far as writing it. But they are running shy of the inescapable truth that, like Europe in 1948, Africa has no ability to pay and desperately needs the financial help of rich countries, through aid and debt relief, and trade which discriminates in favour of African producers.
Back then, the United States realised it was against its interests to have an unstable Europe. It is said America even gained economically as a result of the Marshall Plan. In a world where once again instability is a serious concern, the scale of poverty, conflict and chaos in Africa should merit action on a similar scale.
Website: http://www.christian-aid.org.uk
RELIEF RESOURCE
05 Jul 2002
G8 action plan a start, but Africa deserves better
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Campaigns journalist Andrew Pendleton of Christian Aid attended the Group of Eight summit in Canada in June and argues that it was a step in the right direction for the leaders of the world's richest and most powerful countries to be listening to Africa. But, he says, Africa needs altruistic assistance on a similar scale to the Marshall Plan for Europe after World War Two.
There comes a time during any crisis when only an action equal and opposite to the crisis itself will begin to turn events around. Africa, with its multitude of emergencies, and its catalogue of human catastrophes, has reached that point. The act it requires is one of monumental, mould-breaking altruism.
This year's G8 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, billed as the big bang for Africa's future development, produced little more than a whimper. Meeting in their rocky mountain retreat, at a safe distance from the world's media, G8 leaders listened to Africa; undoubtedly a step in the right direction. But they also had the opportunity to write their names indelibly into the history books on Africa. All they managed were a few notes pencilled into the margin.
Or as Kofi Annan, the U.N. Secretary-General, put it: "If the G8 really carry out the action plan they are announcing, this summit might come to be seen as a turning point in the history of Africa."
The G8 must take some credit for having been willing at least to discuss Africa, and for publishing the outcome of their discussions with African leaders in an action plan for the world's poorest continent. Prior to the summit both Tony Blair of Britain and Jean Chr?tien of Canada had nailed their political colours to the mast with trips to Africa. Even Paul O'Neill, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, flew rock star Bono to Africa on Air Force Two.
For all their endeavours, the resulting G8 Africa Action Plan is long on plan and short on action.
The emphasis on what Tony Blair called a "framework" for Africa, and the absence of action in proportion to the scale of Africa's crisis, tells the whole story. The fact that African leaders and the G8 have spoken in both Italy and Canada and will speak again in France next year is significant.
But it will be of little comfort to the 12 million African children already orphaned as a result of AIDS or to the half-a-billion still living under the shadow of Africa's debt to the West. The 300 million people who live on less than $1 per day could be forgiven for being sceptical about this latest G8 initiative -- were they to know about it -- since broken promises on Africa are hardly uncommon.
It was at the G8 summit in Cologne in 1999 that leaders promised to write-off $100 billion of the debts of 42 poor countries, 34 of which are in Africa. Sadly, three years later, less than half of the figure promised has been cancelled and many of the countries that have had debt relief are still spending more on repaying debt than on health care and education.
At last year's G8 summit, leaders launched an ambitious global fund to fight diseases of poverty, including HIV/AIDS. Earlier, Kofi Annan had called for an additional $7-$10 billion per year to tackle AIDS, a disease which only this week the U.N. has said could claim the lives of 68 million people worldwide in the next two decades. The global fund has hitherto attracted less than $2 billion to be spread over five years. Action, yes, but hardly proportionate.
It is undoubtedly true that the Japanese and Americans are the least willing to commit themselves to any further action on Africa. Perhaps both should reflect on the historical precedent for the scale of action required. Indeed the greatest modern act of international altruism was down to the Americans.
In 1948, the U.S. government, led by Secretary of State George C. Marshall, approved a plan to help post-war recovery in Europe worth over $13 billion -- one per cent of its national wealth -- over five years. Significantly, Secretary Marshall said: "Europe's requirements are so much greater than her present ability to pay that she must have substantial help or face economic, social and political deterioration of a very grave character."
Marshall's words could so easily apply to 21st century Africa. The leaders of wealthy countries are in agreement that a recovery plan is needed and are prepared to go as far as writing it. But they are running shy of the inescapable truth that, like Europe in 1948, Africa has no ability to pay and desperately needs the financial help of rich countries, through aid and debt relief, and trade which discriminates in favour of African producers.
Back then, the United States realised it was against its interests to have an unstable Europe. It is said America even gained economically as a result of the Marshall Plan. In a world where once again instability is a serious concern, the scale of poverty, conflict and chaos in Africa should merit action on a similar scale.
Website: http://www.christian-aid.org.uk
