MEDIA REACTION G8 SUMMIT; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 001236 SIPDIS DEPT FOR INR/R/MR AND AF/PDPA DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION G8 SUMMIT; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "Africa should adopt one position on G8" the independent weekly "The Business Tribune" dedicated its June 12 editorial to criticizing the G8 for failing to meet their obligations to Africa at the just-ended summit in Evian, France. Stating: "Africa must remain on the agenda of the G8 until these obligations are fulfilled." Excerpts: ¶2. ". . .The 2003 G8 was ultimately a disaster for African farmers. It failed to adopt even limited proposals for a moratorium on reducing European and American tariff duties and subsidies for U. S. and European agriculture. These policies are perverse. While millions of African farmers, mostly women's livelihoods, are ruined by these policies, European livestock is ensured major state subsidies. . .Without a change in world trade rules, the rhetoric of ensuring a fresh start for Africa would not translate into meaningful action or a new partnership for Africa. African leaders and citizens were urged to take forward the initiative and the primary responsibility for resolving Africa's development crises. . .Despite the failure of Evian, the G8 continues to have outstanding obligations and commitments to Africa. For this reason, Africa must remain on the agenda of the G8 until these obligations are fulfilled." SULLIVAN