JUSTIN KILCULLEN,
Sir, - It has been a disappointing few weeks for the world's poorest people, particularly those living in Africa.
What emerged from the G8 summit meeting in Canada was an "inaction plan" with no serious commitment to tackling developmental challenges. Where was the progress on HIV/AIDS, debt and trade? On debt, we had expected an announcement of extra debt relief to the tune of $15 billion to $20 billion. We got $1 billion.
On trade, we needed cuts in the duties that African goods face in Western markets. As Americans were increasing the subsidies to their own farmers, African traders got nothing. In fact, the business environment is worse than ever for anyone with business acumen in the developing world.
And on health, the G8 failed to contribute anything to eradicate the scourges of AIDS, TB and malaria. The UN established a special fund for AIDS but is finding it difficult to meet its target. Nothing emerged from the G8.
So all in all it was a disappointment. The Tony Blair spin about a Marshall Plan for Africa came to nothing. The G8 meeting has delivered a firm slap in the face to Africa and its leaders.
Four senior African figures attended the meeting. They were expecting to hear something of benefit to their continent. While they tried to put a positive spin on the outcome, it was a humiliation.
Since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1990, Africa has dropped off the Western radar as London, Brussels and Washington concentrate on expanding their sphere of influence in Eastern Europe.
Trócaire is also concerned that Ireland's proud record of service to the people of the developing world has been undermined by recent Government and EU decisions.
Ireland's overseas development assistance budget has been cut - a clear U-turn on our public promise to increase it. The last Government agreed an interim target of ODA reaching 0.45 per cent of GNP by the end of its term in office in June 2002. But already the ODA allocation has been cut by €32 million to reach just 0.41 per cent of GNP.
Meanwhile, the European summit in Seville decided to abolish Europe's Development Council - a forum where vital discussions and decisions were made by Europe's 15 development co-operation ministers.
We need a statement of policy from the Government on the issue of immigration, on which it has no coherent position. The Minister for Justice appears supportive of the EU policy to reward countries collaborating with the EU on immigration, while Mr Kitt has listened sympathetically to the NGO position that development aid should not be linked with EU self-interest.
Trócaire urges the Government to put in place a sustainable, manageable and strategic plan to deliver on the UN's aid target of 0.7 per cent of GNP. In fact, the budget for overseas aid should be dealt with through legislation.-
Yours, etc.,
JUSTIN KILCULLEN,
Director, Trócaire,
Maynooth,
Co Kildare.