Archbishop Tutu calls for Better Governance in Africa to Support Debt Relief Efforts

Last week, Archbishop Desmond Tutu commented that president Mugabe's dictatorial rule over Zimbabwe could potentially harm the rest of Africa's chances of receiving aid from international agencies as well as debt relief.

In addition, last week saw the gathering in London of the Group 7 (G7) rich nations. Tutu reported that it had to be realised that "we [in Africa] do really care about things like freedom, justice and freedom of association...the basic freedoms for which we fought."

He continued by criticising Zimbabwe by saying that countries such as this made "almost a mockery of our saying that we are committed to these things and it makes it difficult for our friends."

The G7 leaders found it hard last week to agree to all of Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown’s proposals to provide 100% debt relief and to double the amount of aid being given – with the USA leading those refusing to agree to his proposals.

Despite this Gordon Brown did state that Britain would provide £27 million debt relief to some of the world’s poorest countries this year.

Further plans on how the huge debts that the IMF hold can be written-off will be discussed further at a summit to take place later this year in April.

Tutu has made known his full backing for the "Marshall Plan" that Gordon Brown has been promoting, and the Archbishop even made similar proposals a few years prior during Washington meetings. However, he also stated this time that it was vital that certain countries, if not abiding by democratic guidelines, must be able to be cut off and excluded.

Archbishop Tutu said that it would be wonderful if the possibility could arise where it could be said to a particular country, "you are not abiding by the standards we have set and so your membership is suspended until you toe the line."

He believed that this would firmly give the message to the world that the continent of Africa was absolutely serious in "getting rid of the legacy of our past."

Regarding President Mugabe, Tutu stated that he has always attempted to hold him "in the highest possible regard," but that "something peculiar happened and I don't know what it is."

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was firm in saying that it was vitally important to condemn the atrocities that are occurring in Zimbabwe, he said "for the sake of us all."

Former South African President, Nelson Mandela’s direction for world poverty was also made clear last week during the G7 gathering and the supporting campaigns for MakePovertyHistory in London’s Trafalgar Square.

Mandela stated that he believed three important steps needed to be seen by the developed countries to eradicate world poverty – trade justice, debt relief and an increase in the amount of aid being provided. However, unlike Archbishop Tutu, Mandela did not emphasise the responsibility of the debtor countries to move towards better governance – without which, Tutu says, the increased efforts of the developed countries would prove to be ineffective.