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AFRICA: Developed countries come under fire

ADDIS ABABA, 24 May (IRIN) - Developed countries came under fire on Thursday
for failing meet United Nations financial targets for overseas development
aid. Sir Anerood Jugnauth, the prime minster of Mauritius, urged them to
meet their commitments and boost spending in third world countries.

He was speaking at the seventh summit of the Common Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa (COMESA) in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

He said only Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden had
honoured the pledge by developed countries to commit 0.7 percent of their
gross domestic product (GDP) to foreign
aid. While some countries had made steps towards improving development aid
far more had to be done, he stressed. “We would therefore call on the
developed countries to take the appropriate budgetary measures to meet this
objective,” he added.

In his speech, he also said peace and stability were key factors in
development. “There cannot be sustainable development without addressing
conflicts, as peace and stability are fundamental pre-requisites for
sustained economic integration and development," he said.

He praised the peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and hailed
Ethiopia and Eritrea for accepting last month’s crucial border ruling by the
Boundary Commission.

But Sir Anerood spoke of his “extreme concern” over the Madagascar crisis.
He called on the international community and the Organisation of African
Unity (OAU) to try and resolve the “deteriorating humanitarian and political
situation” in the country. He said the potential of COMESA – the largest
regional economic community in Africa – still had to be tapped.

“The low investment performance in the region underscores the challenges
facing COMESA in implementing policies that would increase the flow of both
inward and outward investment and growth,” he added.

[ENDS]

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