The G-8 and African Development.

This is a news strory from www.cbc.ca written by a
staff reporter. It concerns the upcoming G-8 Summit in
Alberta, Canada and the current economic situation in
Africa. Any comments or concerns?

Adam.





        

Economists Question G-8 Leaders' Commitment to Africa 

Last Updated Sun, 10 Feb 2002 16:25:23 

MONTREAL - Prime Minister Jean Chrétien wants Africa
to top the agenda at the upcoming G-8 summit in
Alberta, but some international experts say it will
take more than increased trade to bring real change to
the continent. 

*       INDEPTH: AIDS in Africa

Experts discussed the challenges Africans face,
including AIDS, undemocratic governments and crippling
national debts, at a public forum sponsored by Foreign
Affairs in Montreal. 

Economist Gerry Helleiner of the University of
Toronto's Munk Centre for International Studies is
pleased Africa is on the agenda, but he believes
change depends on what is actually delivered by the
G-8. 

Chrétien "has yet to make commitments that will
satisfy the requests, not to say demands, of the
African heads of state," said Helleiner. "So it's a
rhetorical commitment." 

Helleiner called on G-8 countries not to trade with
African leaders who are despotic or corrupt. He also
said it's time to forgive the huge foreign debts
crippling many African nations. 

But World Bank economist Célestin Monga from Cameroon
said debt relief isn't enough. Monga said the G-8 has
a lot of power that can be used to bring about
democratic and market changes. 

"I would say that they should simply do in Africa what
they did in Eastern Europe," said Monga. "We are
simply asking them to consider us to be citizens of
the world, to have rights like everybody else. We want
to be taken seriously." 

Like Helleiner, Monga agrees it remains to be seen
whether any concrete action comes out of the G-8
summit. 


Written by CBC News Online staff 

=====
Adam T. Starr
Undergraduate of Political Science, UVic
3009 Quadra Street, Victoria, British Columbia
V8T 4G2 Canada
(011) (250) 472-1223
adam@hornbyisland.com or reunitedhornby@yahoo.com

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send FREE Valentine eCards with Yahoo! Greetings!
http://greetings.yahoo.com