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G8 pledges to lift Africa out of poverty

$60-billion plan to fight AIDS, tuberculosis

AT THE TOP OF THEIR VOICE: U2 lead singer Bono (left) and Irish political activist Bob Geldof during a concert themed "Deine Stimme Gegen Armut" (Your Voice Against Poverty) in Rostock, Germany, on Thursday. - PHOTO: AFP

KUEHLUNGSBORN (Germany): The Group of Eight pledged on Friday to lift Africa out of poverty and a $60-billion plan to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, but aid groups immediately attacked the plan as not even meeting pledges made at a similar summit two years ago.

Bono, the musician and social activist who has pushed for more help for Africa, said the old promises have become harder to keep.

``They say $60 billion for AIDS, TB and malaria and it sounds great, but that's not earmarked for Africa, it's a global figure and there's no timeline,'' he said. The G8 agreed during its summit on a programme worth more than $60 billion in aid, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. However, in its final communique, the amount pledged had no timeframe and did not specifically single out Africa as the beneficiary.

"Goal not achieved"

An array of independent aid groups, including Bono, said the declaration fell short of the goals first unveiled two years ago in Scotland amid a wave of concern that saw social activists and outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair urging immediate help for Africa.

Another German official, Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, said the money was earmarked for fighting malaria and tuberculosis as well as HIV/AIDS. About half would come from the United States, with Germany contributing Euro 4 billion between now and 2015. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who leaves office June 27 and has made Africa a personal project, said the declaration was a call for reaffirmation of promises made at the G8 summit in Scotland in 2005. — AP

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