Making the G8 Accountable

UN
Integrated Regional Information Networks
April 4, 2007Posted to the web
April 4, 2007
Addis Ababa
Africa's economic growth is estimated to average
5.8 percent in 2007, but this rate of performance is insufficient to meet the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, according to Léonce Ndikumana,
chief macroeconomic analyst at the trade division of the United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa (ECA).
"Countries will never be able to achieve the
MDGs if they are not creative," Ndikumana told reporters at the end of the
two-day Conference of African ministers of finance, planning and economic
development in Addis Ababa on Tuesday. "Business as usual just won't do."

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Well let me tell u some: the G8 doesnt beleive it is acountable. Why? Reality check: what is the G8?A group of 8 of the world's richest countries . What does it do? It talks, supposedly to make plans and policy about trade, debt and aid.And yes, these 8 men at the G8 have the power to change the lives of 800 millions lives.These men have the power to make 'poverty history', to make poverty end. But do they care? that is the question.
Poor countries do not need free trade , they need trade justice. What the G8 does is force poor countries to liberalize their economies through conditions attached to aid and loans.They dont allow poor countries to protect their infant industries or their farmers . Did u know that the G8 system robs the developing world of an estimated $700 billion in lost earnings every year?(with free trade). This system helps the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. So how do u make the G8 accountable ? Make them care! But how can they care since there is limited membership on the G8 that excludes the needs and views of poor countries.The G8 focuses on its own economic needs, and pursues policies that will benefit G8 members. This is often done at the expense of other countries in the world.I can't see any of the G8 nations being prepared to sacrifice their own capitalist agendas to help in any real way.If making Africa strong and independant doesnt benefit the G8 nations, they will not allow it to happen.Also through the G8, member countries can make deals and compromises with one another and then form powerful alliances to exert influence on international institutions.Imagine that you are in an organization in which everyone is supposedly equal. However, a small group of people meets separately without you, decides how it is going to act, and is able to dominate the organization. Would you feel that the organization is credible?
What poor countries should do since they cant force the G8 to be accountable even though they must be acountable for these problems that they do create, is form their one G8, how about a P8( the poor countries version )It's only Africa that will develop Africa. Africa's slow growth in the last three decades coincided with the heavy flow of aid. Free aid has had zero effect on the continent and it doesn't take rocket science to realise that zero plus zero never gives a positive.There's an old saying that goes something like "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach him to fish and you feed him for life." Lets take care of our own economies, thats our only way of salvation