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Just
do something
New York Times
June 06,
2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/06/opinion/06mon1.html?hp
Next month could
be a historic turning point for the more than 300 million Africans
who live on less than a dollar a day. Prime Minister Tony Blair
of Britain has been busily lining up international support for his
proposal to attack poverty in Africa by ramping up foreign aid.
Serious studies commissioned by the British government and the United
Nations have identified promising new paths toward economic and
human development. The leading nations of Europe have pledged long-term
financial support. Leading entertainers like Madonna, Bono, Will
Smith and Elton John have announced a set of simultaneous concerts
to take place in London, Rome, Berlin and Philadelphia to mobilize
grass-roots enthusiasm.
Only one crucial
element is still missing - the wholehearted support of the United
States government. Unless President Bush joins this effort in the
five weeks remaining before the summit meeting to be held in July
in Scotland, Africa's hopes will be disappointed and America's image
in the eyes of a world that once looked to it for enlightened leadership
will be further diminished.
Mr. Blair will
be in Washington this week trying to persuade Mr. Bush to do the
right thing.
This really
should be a no-brainer. At a time when the image of the United States
abroad is at rock bottom in many parts of the globe, President Bush
could go a long way toward re-establishing the world's richest country
as the moral leader it was in the last century. He can do that by
supporting his most reliable international ally in this crucial
effort and taking to heart the world's poorest and most wretched
place.
Two weeks ago,
the European Union announced that its members would double their
aid to poor countries by 2015. The announcement came after France,
Britain and Germany - all members of the G-8 - had each laid out
timetables for meeting the United Nations' target of increasing
foreign assistance to poor countries to 0.7 percent of gross national
income by 2015. The European announcements further isolated the
American government, which gives only 0.18 percent, and has remained
mute about getting to 0.7 percent.
Africans, after
long years of accepting the rule of brutal and corrupt dictators,
are finally dragging themselves to their feet to say, "Enough."
But there are two paths they can take. With help, African countries
can take the route of development and progress, and finally enjoy
lives that are about more than just scrounging day in and day out
for food in one's stomach and shoes on one's feet. Without that
help, those same countries can take the path that cycles back into
civil war, poverty and life expectancies so low that 13-year-old
girls are considered old women.
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