‘Open your eyes about Africa’

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict’s top adviser on justice and peace said yesterday he hoped the Group of Eight (G8) rich nations summit would nudge the United States to open its eyes to the problems of Africa.

In an interview with Reuters ahead of the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, Cardinal Renato Martino called for more debt relief and said rich nations should see that subsidies for their farmers meant poor states could not compete on the market. Martino, head of the Council for Justice and Peace, praised British Prime Minister Tony Blair, calling him “the machine, the motor” for making debt relief and aid for Africa a personal crusade and for putting both issues in the world spotlight.But, in response to a question, the 72-year-old cardinal said the United States had to do much more for Africa, because of its wealth and because of “its sad history of slavery”.”I firmly hope that American people and the government, the administration, will open their eyes about Africa because it is a need,” Martino said, speaking in English.”We cannot be content with our money when we see children die of curable diseases …or because they drink dirty water.We cannot sleep peacefully when we see that innocent children suffer like that,” he said.Anti-poverty campaigners say the G8 leaders have a unique chance to stop 30 000 children dying every day due to extreme poverty by doubling aid to poor countries, especially in Africa.Martino, who served for 16 years as the Vatican’s ambassador to the United Nations, called Americans “the most generous people” in the world and questioned whether the American media was doing enough to get the Africa story across.”I ask the American media to be sensitive, to be open, to invest in Africa’s problems,” he said.US President George Bush has been under pressure to increase aid for Africa after he turned down a proposal by Blair for the industrialised world to give the continent as much as US$50 billion (N$345 billion) a year by making long-term aid commitments.Bush has since announced several plans to increase US aid to Africa.But he also urged African countries to tackle problems of corruption and transparency to make donors feel more comfortable but stressed these problems should not be used as excuses.Martino, whose department has been calling for debt relief for decades, welcomed last month’s deal to cancel debts owned by 18 of the world’s poorest nations, including 14 in Africa.He said he hoped for a fresh commitment by many developed nations to allot 0.7 percent of GDP to foreign aid by 2015 and that the G8 summit would discuss agricultural subsidies.”Farmers of developed countries see farmers of developing countries as enemies.Something must be done to conciliate this situation because each one has their own rights,” he said.-Nampa-ReutersMartino, head of the Council for Justice and Peace, praised British Prime Minister Tony Blair, calling him “the machine, the motor” for making debt relief and aid for Africa a personal crusade and for putting both issues in the world spotlight.But, in response to a question, the 72-year-old cardinal said the United States had to do much more for Africa, because of its wealth and because of “its sad history of slavery”.”I firmly hope that American people and the government, the administration, will open their eyes about Africa because it is a need,” Martino said, speaking in English.”We cannot be content with our money when we see children die of curable diseases …or because they drink dirty water.We cannot sleep peacefully when we see that innocent children suffer like that,” he said.Anti-poverty campaigners say the G8 leaders have a unique chance to stop 30 000 children dying every day due to extreme poverty by doubling aid to poor countries, especially in Africa.Martino, who served for 16 years as the Vatican’s ambassador to the United Nations, called Americans “the most generous people” in the world and questioned whether the American media was doing enough to get the Africa story across.”I ask the American media to be sensitive, to be open, to invest in Africa’s problems,” he said.US President George Bush has been under pressure to increase aid for Africa after he turned down a proposal by Blair for the industrialised world to give the continent as much as US$50 billion (N$345 billion) a year by making long-term aid commitments.Bush has since announced several plans to increase US aid to Africa.But he also urged African countries to tackle problems of corruption and transparency to make donors feel more comfortable but stressed these problems should not be used as excuses.Martino, whose department has been calling for debt relief for decades, welcomed last month’s deal to cancel debts owned by 18 of the world’s poorest nations, including 14 in Africa.He said he hoped for a fresh commitment by many developed nations to allot 0.7 percent of GDP to foreign aid by 2015 and that the G8 summit would discuss agricultural subsidies.”Farmers of developed countries see farmers of developing countries as enemies.Something must be done to conciliate this situation because each one has their own rights,” he said.-Nampa-Reuters