Poor Effort By G8
(Lee Billingham)
Tony Blair clinched a 30 Billion pound deal over ten years for Africa yesterday - but admitted anti-poverty campaigners will be disappointed. The prime minister and world leaders signed the aid agreement at the g8 summit in Gleneagles Perthshire. He also pledged a summit this November on pollution and global warming.
But the Prime Minister accepted that both the deals did not go as far as he had hoped. He said ' It isn't all what everyone wanted but it is progress. It is a beginning, not an end.'
The plan includes cancelling the poorest nations debts to help tackle aids and more military help with peacekeeping.
One surpise was Three Billion to help the Palestinian Authority grow alonside Israel in peace. In return for the cash African nations must wipe out corruption and tyranny. Mr blair added ' It is not the end of poverty in Africa, but it is the hope that it can be ended.'
A make poverty History spokesman said ' The G8 have chosen not to do all that we ask is necessary to free people trapped in the prison of poverty. Important steps have been taken to bring hope to millions, but more help is needed if they are to play their role in bringing real change for the worlds poorest people.'
Green groups were disappointed the U.S will not follow the Kyoto protocol on pollution. Greenpeace's Sttephen Tindale said ' The G8 has not committed to anything new, but at least we haven't moved backwards.'
But Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo said ' The meeting is a great success.'
Bob Geldof and Bono were also at the g8 summit. Amongst other things they tried to convince Jacque Chiraac, the french president, to get behind their campaign. The meeting if anything has at least raised awareness of the plight of Africa and the worlds poorer countries.
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