Agreeing on Africa, up to a point

5-6-12　George　Bush　and　Tony　Blair　have　agreed　that　America　will　funnel　more　money　towards　Africa,　and　the　G8　has　reached　a　deal　on　broad-based　debt　relief.　But　if　rich　countries　are　really　serious　about　poverty　reduction,　they　should　also　curb　subsidies　that　keep　out　products　from　the　poor　world

IS　2005　the　year　when　Africa　finally　starts　getting　the　help　it　needs　to　pull　its　inhabitants　out　of　penury?　Tony　Blair　certainly　hopes　so.　The　British　prime　minister　has　made　reducing　African　poverty　the　centrepiece　of　his　presidency　of　the　G8.　In　preparation　for　the　group　of　rich　nations’　summit　at　Gleneagles,　Scotland,　which　is　coming　up　in　July,　he　has　worked　hard　to　secure　support　from　other　heads　of　government　for　his　plan　to　forgive　vast　swathes　of　Africa’s　crippling　debt　burden　and　pour　$50　billion　more　a　year　in　aid　into　the　continent　by　2015.

Already　he　has　had　some　success.　After　a　long　meeting　on　Tuesday　June　7th,　Mr　Blair　and　President　George　Bush　announced　agreement　that　sub-Saharan　African　debt　should　be　cancelled,　and　money　paid　into　the　World　Bank’s　coffers　by　rich　donor　nations　in　order　to　make　up　the　loss　of　the　debt-service　payments.　And　on　Saturday,　G8　finance　ministers　announced　that　they　had　reached　a　broad-based　deal　on　debt　relief.　Under　the　deal,　the　World　Bank,　the　IMF　and　the　African　Development　Fund　will　immediately　write　off　all　of　the　money　owed　to　them　by　18　countries—some　$40　billion.　According　to　Gordon　Brown,　Britain's　finance　minister,　another　20　countries　could　qualify　for　debt　cancellation　if　they　meet　targets　for　good　governance　and　corruption-fighting.　In　total,　the　agreement　could　be　worth　more　than　$55　billion.　Mr　Bush　has　also　agreed　to　disburse　$674m　more　in　aid　to　Africa.

But　Mr　Blair　has　so　far　failed　to　secure　Mr　Bush’s　support　for　doubling　aid　flows　to　Africa,　as　recommended　by　Britain’s　Commission　for　Africa　in　March.　Aid　matters,　because　debt　forgiveness　alone,　though　it　may　help　struggling　countries　to　get　their　fiscal　houses　in　order,　will　not　heal　the　millions　who　die　each　year　from　preventable　disease,　nor　lift　those　living　on　less　than　a　dollar　a　day　out　of　their　extreme　poverty.　Yet　it　is　hard　to　see　how　substantial　progress　can　be　made　on　aid　without　the　backing　of　the　world’s　richest　donor.

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