Aid for Africa

[ocelot]

G8 leaders lack 'moral anchor' on Africa: Stephen Lewis
Last Updated: Monday, June 11, 2007 | 9:56 AM ET
The Canadian Press
The former UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa accused the G8 Sunday of abandoning its commitments to health and social equality in Africa, suggesting its leaders are having trouble finding their "moral anchor."

The leaders of the world's top industrialized nations have reneged on promises to have-not nations, particularly those in Africa, to help improve the health, social and equality conditions in those countries, said Canadian Stephen Lewis.

Last week, at a summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, the G8 leaders announced a $60-billion US commitment to fight disease in Africa, but Lewis said that funding did not come with a timeline.

Lewis said the leaders only committed the funds "over the coming years."

"What in the world does that mean?" Lewis asked.

The G8 countries are spending $120 billion annually to deal with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they can't find half that amount to deal with HIV/AIDS, Lewis said.

Angers rock stars Bono, Geldof
"What has happened to the moral anchor of this world?" he asked.

The G8 announcement also angered rock-star anti-poverty activists such as Bono and Bob Geldof.

Bono said Canada was among the nations blocking aid for Africa.

He described Prime Minister Stephen Harper as out of step with Canadians who enjoy a prosperous economy and surplus public finances and would like to help others.

Harper countered by saying that when it comes to aid money "the full framework of accountability" is very important.

He also hailed the G8 agreement for declaring that the bulk of countries receiving aid should meet the standards of good governance, accountability and democracy.

'Abiding nightmare of the pandemic'
Lewis also told the conference that the G8 is deficient in dealing with gender equality, an issue that he said drives pandemics in Africa.

"It is the abiding nightmare of the pandemic," Lewis said. "There is a terrifying spectre of carnage among the women."

He said the single most important struggle on the planet is the struggle for gender equality.

"You cannot continue to marginalize 50 per cent of the population of the planet and expect to realize a modicum of justice."

Lewis made the comments to the International Health Promotion Educators conference in Vancouver.

More than 3,000 people are attending the conference June 10-15, which is held every three years to review and critically assess health promotion's progress and chart courses to deal with health issues.

[achebeautiful]

"Harper countered by saying that when it comes to aid money "the full framework of accountability" is very important.

He also hailed the G8 agreement for declaring that the bulk of countries receiving aid should meet the standards of good governance, accountability and democracy."

Harper is exactly right about this. Why continue to give money to these countries to help them with real needs if the money never gets to those needs (or better stated, to those who actually need it)? Corrupt, dominating governments who are receiving this money to help their countries needs are keeping it from where it's supposed to go, and instead keeping the money for themselves. When Harper says that these countries should meet the standards of good governance, accountability and democracy, he couldn't be more correct!

I want my country to provide money to countries who need it and will use it to help better the health, social and economic conditions of those countries. I do not want my country giving money to countries whose governments are corrupt and will use the money to foster oppression, poverty, health hazards, and other degrading standards towards their people.

It seems to me that Bono should think twice about what he is saying about Harper. It will be interesting to see if it will ever be revealed who is truly caring about the needs in Africa.

My money is on Harper.

[lapayin]

Am I missing something?

"The G8 countries are spending $120 billion annually to deal with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they can't find half that amount to deal with HIV/AIDS, Lewis said."

"Last week, at a summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, the G8 leaders announced a $60-billion US commitment to fight disease in Africa, but Lewis said that funding did not come with a timeline."

It seems they did commit half the amount of the war to "fight disease in Africa" I understand the no timeline is a real issue and I agree. And hmmmmmmmmm is just the US making this commitment? Where are the other countries? Or are they saying the 60 billion is in US dollars? I am confused can anyone help?

[ocelot]

lapayin said:

It seems they did commit half the amount of the war to "fight disease in Africa" I understand the no timeline is a real issue and I agree. And hmmmmmmmmm is just the US making this commitment? Where are the other countries? Or are they saying the 60 billion is in US dollars? I am confused can anyone help?

The 60 billion is in US dollars and all the G8 countries are taking part. I agree that there needs to be a timeline because they could decide to give that money over the next 60 years and that would not solve the problem.

I don't think they are doing enough for Africa, we butted our heads in this war so we aren't going to save problems in other areas of the world. More needs to be done. If they only help the countries that have shown accountability and intregity towards this problem, I approve but more needs to be done.

[achebeautiful]

Last year, Bono, a leading voice in aid for Africa, complimented the United States on their contribution. Ironically, the US was the only country of the G8 to not raise their amount from previous years. Bono was trying to raise the amount of contributions from the G8. So, why is it that he praised the US when they did not commit any more money as he had hoped? The reason he did so is because the United States was the ONLY country in the G8 to make good on its promise to aid Africa. The US delivered on the money it had committed.

As far as Leona's comment that she does not think that the G8 leaders are doing enough for Africa; let me state it this way:

Harper is essentially saying the same thing Leona is when she says that she will not shop at Walmart because she believes the employees to be unfairly treated. Leona wants accountability. She is right.

In the same way, Harper wants the same of African governments. Why continue to give African countries more money when their corrupt leaders are not allowing that money to reach the needs for which it is being sent? How about some accountability?

Do you want leaders who just throw money around and then feel good about it as if they are solving anything? Or would you rather have leaders who genuinely care about the people who have needs, and want to see them met?