U.S. opposition to Africa debt relief

[ade32]

The UK Chancellor Gordon Brown has put foward a bold plan to tackle poverty in Africa ahead of the G8 Summit of rich countries in Scotland next month. But the plan is facing opposition in the US - and particularly from President George W Bush.

Mr Bush said on Wednesday that a key part of the plan did not fit with the US budget process.


As well as 100% debt relief, Mr Brown wants to set up an International Finance Facility (IFF) to double development aid to Africa in order to pay for education and medical programmes like mass immunisation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4606197.stm

 

[Lizabugarde]

Mr Bush said on Wednesday that a key part of the plan did not fit with the US budget process.

Is that a declaration of bankruptcy on parts of Mr. Bush ?

 

[butterfoot]

Is that a declaration of bankruptcy on parts of Mr. Bush ?

Sure we can forgive Africa's debt 100% if China is willing to forgive the U.S. Debt.

-cw

 

[ScottishJohn]

Sure we can forgive Africa's debt 100% if China is willing to forgive the U.S. Debt.

-cw

Oh for goodness sake, last time I looked America was one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Stop borrowing so much if you dislike debt. It isn't like you are forced to borrow to feed your population or anything. African debt is a very different animal than US debt.

 

[butterfoot]

Oh for goodness sake, last time I looked America was one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Stop borrowing so much if you dislike debt. It isn't like you are forced to borrow to feed your population or anything. African debt is a very different animal than US debt.

How can we afford to pay our debt off when we forgive many other countries debt to us. We also provide aid to many other countries free of charge. If we stopped that we sure as well could pay our debt off. So maybe we should do that.


-cw

 

[ScottishJohn]

How can we afford to pay our debt off when we forgive many other countries debt to us. We also provide aid to many other countries free of charge. If we stopped that we sure as well could pay our debt off. So maybe we should do that.


-cw

If you forgave their debt they wouldn't need so much aid - for every dollar you give them in aid they give back far more in interest payments.

Your compassion is touching.

 

[Ave Maria]

Why don't we just forgive their debt. It's not like they'll ever be able to pay it all back anyway.

 

[Quijote]

I'm all for forgiving other countries debts as long as reform in their governments are achieved so taht the money forgiven is not used by corrupt governments to line the pockets of their leaders while the people suffer.

cheers

 

[The Great Pumpkin]

The US - along with some other countries including Japan, Germany and Italy - has never been keen on the idea of selling IMF gold.

Plus...

Mr Brown played down reports of a rift or stand-off between the UK and the US.


"In my talks over the last few months, but particularly over the last day or two, with the US Treasury Secretary, we believe that there is common ground on securing that debt relief," he explained. "We believe it is going to be possible to reach an agreement on debt relief."

It is easy to erroneously simplify the story and say that the United States is opposed to African debt relief but the issues and resolutions do not always fit into neat little packages.

 

[Redneck]

Typical government agency thinking that throwing money at a problem will fix it.

If memory serves, I'm already forced to give money to the poor starving Africans too.

 

[ade32]

Typical government agency thinking that throwing money at a problem will fix it.

If memory serves, I'm already forced to give money to the poor starving Africans too.

Cool. Next time I see a beggar on the street I'll tell him 'You think me giving you some money is going to help you?' and walk off.

If you threw some money at me, it would help my problems.

 

[Redneck]

Cool. Next time I see a beggar on the street I'll tell him 'You think me giving you some money is going to help you?' and walk off.

If you threw some money at me, it would help my problems.

The last time I saw a beggar on the street was with a sign asking for money for beer. Seriously.

Africa has bigger problems than a lack of money too though. I believe it's called "revolution" where they kick the farmers off of the land and steal all their stuff, then try to bribe them to come back and farm when a third of the people in their country are starving...

 

[ade32]

The last time I saw a beggar on the street was with a sign asking for money for beer. Seriously.

Africa has bigger problems than a lack of money too though. I believe it's called "revolution" where they kick the farmers off of the land and steal all their stuff, then try to bribe them to come back and farm when a third of the people in their country are starving...

Isn't that just Zimbabwe?

 

[ScottishJohn]

Yes it is just Zimbabwe, and it was just the white colonial farmers who were thrown off their land. Reap what you sow.

 

[Scholar in training]

Yes it is just Zimbabwe, and it was just the white colonial farmers who were thrown off their land. Reap what you sow.

Are you attempting to justify their actions or are you just ignoring the fact that both first world and third world countries are playing the money game here?

 

[ScottishJohn]

Are you attempting to justify their actions or are you just ignoring the fact that both first world and third world countries are playing the money game here?

I think it is not helpful to judge ALL of Africa against the actions of one African dictator, and also not particularly helpful to take those (unjustifiable) actions out of the postcolonial context in which they belong.

 

[neverforsaken]

the answers are never as simple as just throwing money at a problem. life in general isnt that simple. the governments in africa are the way they are because of corruption. they will build up their debt again in no time, and the money lost will be a total waste.

 

[Scholar in training]

I think it is not helpful to judge ALL of Africa against the actions of one African dictator . . .

Why not? You apparently aren't against providing sweeping generalizations when it comes to the United States.

. . . and also not particularly helpful to take those (unjustifiable) actions out of the postcolonial context in which they belong.

I realize the context, but they are kicking out farmers for revenge and money. It's not as if Africans are being oppressed by imperialism as they were in the early 1900's; in that case, fighting is justified, because their very lives were at risk due to oppression. But now the problems are more complex than that; disease, famine, and corruption in their own countries add to the problem.

 

[ScottishJohn]

Why not? You apparently aren't against providing sweeping generalizations when it comes to the United States.

What generalisations? in any case I don't really see the relevance? Applying the conduct of one country to a whole continent just makes no sense.

I realize the context, but they are kicking out farmers for revenge and money. It's not as if Africans are being oppressed by imperialism as they were in the early 1900's; in that case, fighting is justified, because their very lives were at risk due to oppression. But now the problems are more complex than that; disease, famine, and corruption in their own countries add to the problem.

First off I made it quite clear that I didn't think the actions of Mugabe were justified in any way shape or form. However to suggest that there is no lasting oppression from imperialism is just inaccurate. In a country like Zimbabwe ownership of land was still mainly in the hands of a white minority. While I can't approve of what Mugabe did, I can understand the frustration and anger of the people of Zimbabwe which gave him his mandate.