Oxfam International today calls on the G7 finance ministers meeting in Essen, Germany (9 - 10 Feb) to deliver on their promises, and provide increased and better quality aid to Africa.
This is the first major meeting of the German G8 presidency and Chancellor Merkel has put poverty alleviation in Africa high on the agenda. However, despite promises to increase aid at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, development aid to Africa fell by 2.1 percent in 2005.
'The hypocrisy is that the G7 ministers are talking about governance and financial responsibility in Africa yet at the same time they are reneging on their promises and responsibility to Africa. The G8 has a choice - will 2007 be yet another year of broken promises to Africa or the year they finally put their words into action? Germany has got to take the lead on this.' said Max Lawson from Oxfam International.
Oxfam is calling for more aid to go directly to the governments of poor countries so that it can be spent on essential public services such as health and education. In the past, aid for health and education has been short term and concentrated on individual projects rather than building public services that have the potential for the greatest benefit to the poorest people.
See full Press Release.
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