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G8 SUMMIT CONCLUDES WITH NEW COMMITMENTS, SOME PROGRESS
The G8 Summit in Edinburgh, Scotland wrapped up last month
with a flurry of new commitments, promises, and declarations. UK Prime Minister
Tony Blair made Africa and global climate change the main themes of the summit
and kept the spotlight on them even in spite of horrific terrorist attacks in
London, his nation’s capital. His courage and resolve is admirable; the degree
to which he was able to succeed will become clear only with time, when leaders
either keep their promises or push responsibility off to their successors.
Prime Minister Blair, with the help of President Bush, kicked off the push to
the G8 Summit by announcing a groundbreaking deal to relieve up to $40 billion
of debt owed by 18 highly indebted poor countries. Much of the debt was offered
in poorly structured loans years ago whose interest payments were taking funds
away from important development priorities like education. Even though the
savings to developing countries will ultimately be much less – roughly $1B each
year – the debt deal was an important and previously elusive decision.
The other ‘new initiative’ announced by President Bush after his meeting with
Prime Minister Blair was $674 million in food aid to Africa. Not only is food
aid not the kind of long-term, sustained investment in Africa that Mr. Blair and
anti-poverty advocates sought, the $674 million announced was already planned
and represented no new commitment on the part of the U.S.
Under continual pressure from Citizens for Global Solutions and its ONE Campaign
To End Poverty partners, President Bush made another announcement. He said the
U.S. had tripled development assistance to Africa since his presidency began and
would double it again over the next five years.
President Bush’s claim is somewhat disingenuous, but nonetheless welcome.
According to Dr. Susan Rice, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution,
development assistance over the past four years has increased only 66% in real
dollars, and the new “doubling” that Mr. Bush announced has already been
pledged. However, the president also proposed an important new malaria project.
If Congress approves the $1.2 billion in new money (including some that was
previously cut), many African countries, starting with Tanzania, Uganda, and
Angola, people all over the continent can take the common sense measures needed
to prevent the disease.
Each year, malaria kills over 1 million Africans, mostly children. Buying
long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and drugs that are proven to work will not
only save lives, it can change the dynamics of development in Africa. Since
family businesses and farms often rely on young teenagers, African families
often raise many children, knowing they may lose some of them to malaria and
other preventable childhood diseases. If African countries confront malaria,
they will likely see a substantial drop in birth rates, which, since that means
children to feed and educate, would go a long way toward a better quality of
life in the long run.
Unfortunately, the President’s malaria proposal was his last constructive
contribution to this year’s G8 Summit. As most of our G8 allies strengthened
their resolve to invest 0.7% of their gross national incomes in developing
countries, President Bush stood on the sidelines. And as our allies reasserted
their commitment to addressing global climate change with the urgency that it
demands, President Bush sat on his hands.
Prime Minister Blair, who guided the United Kingdom through a devastating
terrorist attack, and who staked his political legacy on success at the G8
Summit, was unable to declare victory. Even his strong relationship with
President Bush could not help him secure a positive commitment on climate change
or investing in development from the U.S. With the largest-ever meeting of world
leaders on UN reform and development just on the horizon in September, President
Bush will have another opportunity to bring the U.S. back to the table.
Updated August 4, 2005
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