Fight poverty for a more secure world

[struggle4progress]

Posted on Sat, Jul. 09, 2005

By Susan E. Rice


An unusual groundswell is being felt. Evangelical groups, activists and celebrities joined forces to urge leaders of the Group of Eight industrial nations to “make poverty history.” Live 8 concerts rocked the planet to press these nations to commit seven-tenths of 1 percent of their gross national income to overseas development by 2015, eliminate agricultural subsidies and eradicate disease.

President Bush and Congress must weigh how much more the U.S. will invest to meet this challenge. Clearly, the most important ingredients for reducing poverty are improved economic policies and responsible governance in developing countries. But far greater support from rich countries is essential.

To date the Bush administration has embraced limited debt cancellation and announced a new malaria prevention program, but it will not commit to the seven-tenths of 1 percent target or to ending agricultural subsidies.

The president pledged to double aid to Africa by 2010, but relatively little of that commitment represents new money. Rather, the president can meet this goal simply by keeping his earlier promises to fully fund his Millennium Challenge Account and HIV-AIDS initiative. The president also claims to have “tripled” aid to Africa over the past four years; in fact, total U.S. assistance to Africa has not even doubled. It has increased 56 percent in real dollars from fiscal 2000 to 2004, the last completed fiscal year. More than half of that increase is emergency food aid – not assistance that alleviates poverty. <snip>

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/editorial/12094920.htm