British Prime Minister Tony Blair met US President George Bush yesterday in an attempt to merge their ideas on how to help save Africa from poverty and to provide aid to the continent. However, the meeting was not entirely smooth and a number of issues remain incomplete as Bush refused to agree completely with the proposals put forward by Blair.
Two of the most powerful leaders on the planet met yesterday in Washington DC as part of Blair’s series of diplomatic visits ahead of the G8 summit to gain the support of international leaders on the most urgent topics listed at the top of G8 agenda.
In the run up to the meeting Blair made it well-known that one of the priorities in his talks with the US premier was to find a path forwards in helping the desperate plight of the millions suffering in Africa.
Bush announced after the summit that the United States would give an extra US$674 million to humanitarian relief efforts in Africa.
The focus of the world’s richest nations has been shifting towards Africa over the past few months as the Make Poverty History campaign and other aid groups and charities has endlessly made clear the desperate situation in the continent.
Campaigners have requested that the world’s richest nations keep good their promise made more than 30 years ago to offer 0.7% of their GNP to relieve poverty.
Many are now pointing out that although America seems to be the most generous donor in the world in terms of the amount that is given, the nation is only giving 0.16% of its GNP – the lowest out of all the richest countries in the world. Only due to it vast wealth can it offer more than any other country in cash terms.
Oxfam has attacked the US administration saying that "as the lowest aid donor per capita in the G7, America is finding itself increasingly isolated. Today’s 'announcement' will do nothing to challenge that."
Oxfam continued, "While the world asks for aid to be doubled, all the US seems willing to do is shunt around existing funds."
The Make Poverty History Campaign has highlighted greatly the pledges made by the world’s richest nations at the 1970 UN Summit, which was repeated in 1992 – to issue 0.7% GNP to foreign aid. However, this 35 year gap has seen just 5 countries live up to this goal – Norway, Luxemburg, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. The USA failed to reach the target by £30 billion in 2003.
