and what precentage of "the debt" is that... 30bn sounds lot but ...


im sick of seeing all this g8 crap the tv and blair being the saviour of africa ffs

O good we've made the biggest major mistake of the 21st Century. Now leaders of even more countries will receive the same message Uganda did 25 years ago,
"Don't worry about running up enourmous debts, we the West will just right it off after a few years and allow you to borrow again".

And what did Uganda spend its new found Credit on ? Arms.

Nice one Gordon Brown

If debts weren't ever increasing - from the mortgages and credit cards of consumers in the north to the IMF/WB loans of the global south - then global capitialism would plunge into another depression.

Money is created by banks in a process which creates debt. Orthodox economics is a pyramid scheme and its screwing *EVERYONE* over (unless you're a bank or have property income).

This debt - third world debt included - is completely illegitimate and is a product of the present banking system, not an accurate reflection of obligations to render equivalent goods or services.

The way I see it is that if everyone who benefitted from slavery; that is Britain, the US and all the developed countries, compensated the people of Africa for the theft of over twenty million of their most productive citizens and the value of all the goods these slaves and all their descendents have produced for the capitalist system for the last two or three hundred years or so, it would be us that would be negotiating with the African countries as to how we can settle the debt that we owe them. This is not to mention all the raw resources that were stolen at the point of a gun to keep the wheels of capitalist industry turning. Added to this, why should the people in these countries be responsible for the debts and the personal largesse of the post-colonial governments, which in many cases were just an extension of colonial rule with an African face - remember Mobutu anyone? The truth is, that the lifestyle that many people enjoy in the developed world was bought and paid for by the system of slavery and by the blood and sweat of people in the former colonies. Who are we to lecture other people on good governance or the basis of 'civilised' behaviour?

Rant over.

Consultants pocket $20bn of global aid

May 29, 2005 - Consultants are creaming off a staggering $20 billion from hard-won global aid budgets. The $20bn total is 40 per cent of the international communities' overseas development pot of $50bn - money that is meant to relieve poverty in developing countries.




The World Bank has confirmed the figure for the first time: this weekend it admitted that money spent on 'technical assistance' and consultants had increased by $2bn on last year's $18bn total. A spokesman conceded that ballooning consultants' fees 'need to be addressed'.


The news comes in the wake of a hard-hitting report by charity ActionAid, which said that a huge proportion of aid was wasted, misdirected or recycled in rich countries.


...Wolfowitz's arrival at the bank comes at a pivotal time. Many see any proposed increase in international aid as the last chance to seriously address fundamental global inequalities. Since the 1950s, some $300bn has been spent on aid to Africa while living standards have fallen.



Nick Mathiason The Observer
 http://politics.guardian.co.uk/development/story/0,15709,1494614,00.html


how to measure poverty...
 http://www4.worldbank.org/afr/poverty/measuring/default.htm

callous and predatory or what?

"everyone who benefitted from slavery; "

Good idea - I suggest we contat the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Abu Dhabu and the other Arab states who made the most money from slaving (and carried on making money for 130 years after the European nations stopped slaving.)

How much do you think we should ask for ?

Forgive me if I'm wrong, or merely really stupid, but to the best of my knowledge none of these countries actually have any debts. The fact that they are sitting on vast lakes of oil makes the ruling cliques in these countries very wealthy. As for the Arab slave trade, that is certainly true. Of course, many of these countries were colonised and controlled by European powers well into the 1920's and 1930's did nothing to stop this. In fact, whatever goes on in these countries is ok as long as they are prepared to kiss the arse of George Bush and all the rest of the Texas oilmen.

Agreed something needs to be done about the political situation in the region. We should start with Israel, a country that has invaded all its neighbours, defies UN resolutions, has weapons of mass destruction and uses terrorism and torture in its judicial system.

Nice post "cough up now" we were talking about Third World Debt but in the fine tradition of Indymedia you managed to get in a quick slagg off of Israel. The IMC anti-semite controlling cabal will be proud

I think ttp that you'll find that 'cough up now' was responding directly to the post by 'Good Idea', which would explain why he titled the comment 'Good Idea...'.

I think you'll also find that it was 'Good Idea' who brought the Middle East into the discussion.

As for your 'anti'semitic' jibe, are you suggesting that one or more of the following are behaviours that are exclusive to Jews?

-invading neighbours

- defying UN resolutions

-having weapons of mass destruction

-using terror and torture in legal systems

We should be told.......