Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 17 July 2008 — Page 19

The Muncie Times • July 17, 2008 • Page 19

AFRICAN BRIEFS

continued from page 17 closed down as part of a widespread crackdown on media that dared to criticize the handling of the poll. Serkalem Fasil and her family were imprisoned for more than a year. Ten other independent publications were also forced to shut down, leaving hundreds of journalists unemployed. G-8 commitment to Africa surprises NGOs By Ramesh Jaura TOYAKO, Japan (IPS/GIN)—The Group of Eight (G-8) Summit of major industrial nations' leaders has taken nongovernmental organizations by surprise by delivering more than expected by way of three key documents on African development, food security and corruption. In a document titled “Deve lopment and Africa,” the G-8 countries (Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, Canada and the United States) "firmly committed to working to fulfill their pledges on official development assistance made three years ago at Gleneagles and reaffirmed at Heiligendamm. The countries pledged to increase official development assistance to Africa by $25 billion a year by

2010, compared with aid is completely inadequate in 2004. when compared to develAnd they event went a oping countries' needs," step further, saying, "We said Asia Russell of acknowledge that official Health GAR a U.S. NGO development assistance campaigning for global from G-8 and other AIDS treatment, donors to Africa should Paola Giuliani of the be reassessed and may Italian Network Against need to be increased for AIDS said conservative the period after 2010. investments of the G-8 beyond our current com- fair share of funding for mitments." strengthening AIDS, Several NGOs had tuberculosis, malaria and expressed the fear that the health systems alone are July 7-9 G-8 summit in at least $173 billion over Toyako, on the northern 5 years. Japanese island "The G-8 has negotiatHokkaido, would back- ed countless hours over track on earlier commit- this pledge-only to comments, leaving Africa in mit to a target and timestark need of funds. line that do not require the The document made massive increases in commitments in other health spending needed areas, saying: "We reiter- now to fight the world's ate our commitment to leading killers," Giuliani continue efforts to work added, toward the goals of pro- i Emmanuel Trenado of viding at least a projected AIDES, a French AIDS $60 billion over 5 years to NGO, said the G-8 has, fight infectious diseases year after year, merely and strengthen health, acknowledged the health Some countries will pro- worker crisis. Solving vide additional resources this crisis will require bilfor health systems includ- lions of dollars in addiing water." tional funding--to double This drew criticism the health workforce in from a coalition of Africa! and to reach the HIV/AIDS and health minimum target of 2.3 organizations. "An exist- professional health working commitment from the ers per 1,000 people. 2007 G-8 summit to "The G-8's vague spend $60 billion 'over promise to 'work toward' the coming years' on that goal is hollow to milAIDS, tuberculosis, lions living with HIV in malaria and health sys- Africa," Trenado said, terns has been weakened In their statement on by the G-8 meeting into a the global food crisis, the broad health s pending G-8 leaders said they pledge over 5 years-that were determined to take

all possible measures in a I coordinated manner, and since January 2008 they have committed, for short-, medium- and long-term purposes, more than $10 billion to support food aid, nutrition interventions, social pro- j tection activities and measures to increase agricultural output in affected countries. The G-8 pledged to work with the international community in forming a global partnership on agriculture and food, involving all relevant actors, including developing country governments, the private sector, civil society, donors, and international institu-

tions.

"This partnership, strengthening and building on existing U.N. and other international institutions, could provide efficient and effective support for country-led processes and institutions and for local leadership, draw on the expertise in existing international organizations and, in particular, ensure monitoring and assessment on progress," the statement

said.

The G-8 stressed the need to remove export restrictions and expedite the current negotiations at mKr World Trade Organization aimed at introducing stricter disciplines on those trade actions that prolong and

aggravate the situation, hindering humanitarian purchases of food commodities. The G-8 leaders also agreed to "explore options on a coordinated approach on stock management, including the pros and cons of building a 'virtual' internationally coordinated reserve system for humanitarian pur-

poses."

Kenya finance minister Forced to resign over disputed hotel sale By Najum Mushtaq NAIROBI, Kenya (IPS/GIN)—Two days after publicly vowing to die rather than resign, Kenya's powerful finance minister announced he was resigning to allow an independent investigation of corruption charges against him. The resignation of Amos Kimunya came a week after Kenya's parliament passed a censure motion against him. The censure, a first in the country's history, was prompted by the report of a committee headed by Attorney General Amos

Wako.

The report questioned the role of the finance minister in the sale of Grand Regency, a pub-licly-owned five-star hotel in central Nairobi. At about the same continued on page 21