British-sponsored commission urges double aid to Africa
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-11 14:42

A panel chaired by British Prime Minister Tony Blair called for the international community to spend an extra 25 billion dollars (19 billion euros) a year for the next three to five years to finance urgent reforms in Africa.

In a far-reaching report coinciding with Britain's chairmanship of the G8 group of leading industrial countries, the multinational Commission for Africa labelled widespread poverty and economic stagnation on the continent "the greatest tragedy of our time".

"Africa requires a comprehensive 'big push' on many fronts at once," it said, listing corruption, security issues, education, AIDS and health measures and fair trade as major priorities.

The blue-ribbon Commission for Africa, launched by Blair in February 2004, placed responsibility for change on the shoulders of both Africans and foreign powers.

Africa had a duty to accelerate reform and make its governments accountable to their people, but "the developed world had a moral duty -- as well as powerful motive of self-interest -- to assist Africa," it said.

Blair was to present the commission's first report in London on Friday alongside fellow commissioners including South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and Irish pop star-turned debt relief campaigner Bob Geldof.

There was "no excuse, no defence, no justification for the plight of millions of our fellow beings in Africa today", Blair was due to say at the launch of the report, according to extracts of his speech released in advance.

"We cannot allow this to continue. It is, I believe, the biggest moral challenge of our generation. A challenge for all of us -- for the governments of Africa and the countries of the developed world."

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, another commissioner, was to host a concurrent launch in Addis Ababa, while a third event was to be attended in New York by William Kalema, chairman of the Uganda Investment Authority, and British government minister Baroness Valerie Amos, representing Blair.

Blair and his finance minister Gordon Brown, also expected at the London launch, have put Africa at the top of international agenda this year, during Britain's presidency not only of the G8 but also of the European Union.

An advance copy of the commission's executive summary received by AFP made concrete recommendations for action by donor states.

It called for 100-percent debt relief for poor sub-Saharan countries, an extra 25 billion dollars annually for Africa until 2010-12 and then, following a review, an extra 50 billion dollars per year.

Each year 10 billion dollars should go to infrastructure -- roads and buildings, but also communication technology -- another 10 billion to health services, and eight billion to education reform.

It also cautioned donors against attaching too many strings to their money, saying aid should come as cash grants and without "policy conditionality".

Aid "must be given in ways that make governments answerable primarily to their own people," it said.

Wealthy countries must also agree to eliminate agricultural subsidies that protect farmers but distort international trade and harm Africa, it argued.

Finally, Africans had to have a greater say on the global scene, at financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, but also at the United Nations.

The commission called for "greater African representation" on the UN Security Council but stopped short of calling for a permanent seat.

African states were given a slate of actions to undertake, including getting rid of all school fees for primary education, earmarking 15 percent of national budgets to health, and doubling the area of arable land under irrigation in a decade's time.

But the commission conceded that many of its recommendations dealt with less concrete "changes to behavior", notably to root out corruption, protect the rights of women and promote mutual accountability among African states.

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