Blair confident of US Africa aid agreement
Tony Blair has said he is confident that there is a “real and common desire” by America to tackle poverty in Africa.
The Prime Minister said he was confident that the USA would not balk at the task.
Speaking at a joint press conference after talks with the American president, Mr Blair said: “On Africa I think there is a real and common desire to help that troubled continent come out of the poverty and deprivation which so many millions of its people suffer, in a situation where literally thousands of children die from preventable diseases every day, it is our duty to act and we will.”
Mr Blair said the US president shared the view there was a “duty to act” and defeat famine and disease in the huge, “troubled”, continent.
“In a situation where literally thousands of children die from preventable diseases every day, it is our duty to act and we will,” he said.
US president Bush said the pair agreed to de-burden those developing countries of debt who were on a path to reform. Earlier, Mr Bush announced a £370 million aid deal for Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Mr Blair concurred saying the solution to poverty in Africa was not to simply throw money at the problem as there must be a corresponding commitment from African leaders to abide with “proper governance” to fight corruption.
Mr Blair said he was still optimistic of brokering a deal at the G7 finance ministers’ meeting this weekend to secure 100 per cent debt cancellation
But, aid groups said the money was just a drop in the ocean.
Mr Bush has already rejected Britain’s plan to get all G8 countries to commit to 0.7 per cent GDP in development aid and is deeply sceptical of plans for an international finance facility to raise money for poor countries by selling bonds.
In an interview with the Financial Times on Tuesday, Mr Blair admitted that there were some subjects that he did not expect to reach an agreement on, and would not try.
“There are certain things we know they are not going to do, that we are not asking them to do,” he told the newspaper.
“We are not asking them to sign up to the IFF or 0.7 per cent in aid. They are not going to do that and they’ve made that clear right from the very beginning.”
Mr Blair’s position has angered some campaigners, who believe he is being defeatist rather than pushing for the best possible deal with President Bush.
“To waste this momentum now, to drop the bar and lower the ambition at this critical stage, would be seen by many as a betrayal of Africa,” said Oxfam director Barbara Stocking.
Mr Blair is in Washington for key talks with US President George Bush on Africa and climate change. The talks are part of Mr Blair’s diplomatic tour of G8 leaders ahead of July’s summit in Gleneagles.
There will also be tough talks on climate change as the US has repeatedly refused to accept any curbs on its greenhouse gas emissions.
It is sceptical about the evidence on global warming and favours using new technologies to produce cleaner and more efficient energy.
The two men are also expected to discuss the Middle East peace process, Iran, North Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan and the role of the United Nations.
