Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05LILONGWE267
2005-03-22 04:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Lilongwe
Cable title:  

REACTION - WESTERN AID, LILONGWE

Tags:  PTER ASEC KMDR KPAO MI 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS LILONGWE 000267

SIPDIS

FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC KMDR KPAO MI
SUBJECT: REACTION - WESTERN AID, LILONGWE


1."Africa: But Where is the Money?"

2.The independent weekly, "The Sunday Times" of March 13,
2005, featured an opinion item "Africa: But Where is the
Money?" written by Sunjay Suri, Inter Press Service News
Agency's London correspondent. Suri argues that past aid
packages rich nations gave to Africa were frustrated in one
way or another. He wonders if the same fate doesn't await
the new `Commission for Africa' British aid package.
Excerpts follow:

3.".The United States has pointedly stayed away from recent
British proposals including the International Finance
Facility (IFF) that wants government to raise money from the
market and borrow from their own future lending to increase
aid.

The United States has set up the Millennium Challenge
Account to provide aid grants - in exchange for its
requirements to meet democratic standards and a commitment
to a `war on terror'. And the United States is not about to
increase its aid budget on the recommendations of a British
commission.

The United States has also opposed plans for any automatic
and across-the-board cancellation of debt. British moves
for such debt cancellation were rebuffed last month at a
meeting of finance ministers of the G7.

.The 400-page report of the commission titled `Our Common
Interest' does more than call for more aid and debt
cancellation.

.The Commission for Africa has generated enthusiasm in
Britain and in African countries but not beyond where it
could really matter."

Gilmour