An International Humanitarian agency that has been in the front line
in the fight against abject poverty for 28 years, has seriously questioned
the priorities which Prime Minister Tony Blair and his assistant Gordon
Brown intend to bring before the G8 summit in Edinburgh.
In a statement GOAL’s CEO John O’Shea makes the point
that the UK government is avoiding tackling the most pressing problems
facing the poor of the developing world.
‘Ending world debt and doubling the aid will not release
millions from poverty. There is no evidence to support this theory’,
argued O’Shea who added ‘What’s needed is
moral courage from the political sector and this is notably absent’.
He elaborated ‘Millions are being tortured, raped and
dying in Africa because they lack appropriate protection –
the UN Security Council is reluctant to send in its troops, preferring
to buck-pass to the African Union and other entities.
Secondly, most of the governments who preside over the poorest,
most vulnerable people on the globe, especially in Africa, are endemically
corrupt.
Channelling funds through these governments is as useful to
the poor as pouring the money down the sink.
The poor will remain outside our reach, until such time as
those who attend the G8 summit, accept that dealing with hugely
corrupt governments, is a sheer waste of tax-payers money, and morally
indefensible’.
Today in Africa, a number of African leaders are waging war on
their own people and on their neighbours. Bashir in the Sudan and
Mugabe in Zimbabwe are prime examples. Surely Mr Blair and Mr Brown
do not expect tax-payers to welcome an initiative, which sees a
doubling of aid to these tyrants?
For further information contact John O'Shea, CEO of GOAL on 00353
86 8527427 or 00353 1 2809779
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