G8 challenged to meet aid targets
Monday, 4 June 2007 12:00 AM
The Conservatives have now joined the chorus of voices holding the G8 to its 2005 promises, warning the G8 nations to "deliver what they pledged".
However, they say the effectiveness of aid projects should be seen as important as their scale, claiming too much of the G8 aid has failed to fully benefit its recipients.
International development spokesman Andrew Mitchell said: "Tony Blair is right to chide other G8 countries for failing to live up to the promises of 2005. They must all deliver what they pledged.
"But the prime minister has missed a trick in focussing solely on the quantity of aid. What matters is quality and effectiveness."
While the Conservatives admitted the UK fares well on an international comparison, they warned other G8 nations have a long way to go. Mr Mitchell said too many countries 'tie in' aid packages to purchasing goods from donor countries.
Mr Mitchell called for an independent aid watchdog to compare the effectiveness of aid.
A Conservative-complied 'aid league table' found the UK tops a league table of the G8 nations, followed by France, Canada, Germany, US, Italy and Spain.
Yesterday, Mr Blair met with the German chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss aid, along with Africa and climate change, ahead of the G8 in Germany.
Ahead of the meeting Ms Merkel announced an increase of overseas aid of ?750 million (£509 million) a year for four years, starting in 2008.
Oxfam welcomed the announcement and called on the other G8 nations to follow suit.
A report from Oxfam ahead of the summit in Heiligendamm warned the G8 was on course to miss the targets it set for itself in Gleneagles.
In 2005 the G8 leaders pledged to double aid to poor nations to £25 billion a year, half of which was allocated for Africa. But, on current donations, aid to Africa is forecast to miss the 2010 target. Oxfam reported it was on course to miss the G8 target by £15 billion.
But Oxfam also singled out the UK for keeping to its word, but said it is still expected to fall £0.8 billion short of the £7.5 billion promised.
Max Lawson of Oxfam: "The G8 cannot ignore the elephant in the room, their failure to meet their promises to Africa.
"This weekend is where the G8 money men could easily come up with the missing aid to ensure their leaders avoid embarrassment in front of the world next month in Heiligendamm."
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