The Hindu : International : Africa welcomes aid pledges with scepticism

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 02, 2005

International

International

Africa welcomes aid pledges with scepticism

JOHANNESBURG, FEB. 1. Actress Sharon Stone raised $1 million in five minutes for malaria at the Davos summit, while the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, shared a platform with rock star Bono and the world's richest man, Bill Gates, to pledge aid to Africa.

Rhetoric, not action

But previous promises have not always been honoured and the continent Blair once described as a ``scar on the conscience of the world'' waits to see if the outpouring of goodwill at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland will be any different. ``There has certainly been an increase in rhetoric, and not for the first time,'' said Kenyan Arthur Muliro, analyst at the Rome-based think-tank, the Society for International Development.

``Africa has been on the radar screen in this way many times before. There has been no shortage of promises, but in real terms nothing has changed.''

When leaders and industrialists met in the Swiss resort of Davos last week, Africa dominated the agenda. A growing number of leaders backed calls to help African countries meet the 2015 United Nations Millennium development goals.

At current funding levels, some African countries may take a century to meet the goals, which include halving the number of people living on less than $1 a day, providing primary school education for all and reducing child poverty. ``There is an acceptance that we have not matched our promises with actions,'' said Nick Sheppard, spokesman for Britain's Africa Commission. ``The goals were achievable and we have not done enough.'' A recent cartoon in South Africa's Citizen newspaper showed Mr. Blair, Bono, the former U.S. President, Bill Clinton, and the South African President, Thabo Mbeki, playing music together at Davos to promote aid for Africa. ``Same old tune,'' an African says in the background.

British assurance

Britain says it aims to use its presidency of the European Union and G-7 group of nations to push for action on Africa, on cutting tariffs on African goods and writing off some of its debt. — Reuters

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