Let Us See if Italy Keeps Faith With the World's Poor

Yesterday in London I helped the ONE campaign launch their 4th annual DATA Report. The report is an exercise in accountability. It charts a course from past development aid promises to present delivery. In 2005, the G8 made a series of historic promises to Africa that, if achieved would improve health, access education, reduce poverty and increase prosperity. The headlines of these promises were to double aid to Africa by 2010, to improve its quality, to reform the trade system to make it easier for Africans to export to our markets, and to cancel debts that were preventing African governments from investing in their people. All this was promised on the basis of a deal with the African states in exchange for measurable indices of good governance and tighter economic achievement.

Let me contextualize this report and this event. The panel consisted of Arunmah Oteh and Dr. Francois Ndayishimiye from two of the great world development and health institutions, The African Development Bank and The Global Fund for Aids, Malaria and TB. Also present was that "turbulent priest", that little giant Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the greatest and bravest moral arbiter of our time. Then came our greatest industrialist, our Carnegie, our Rockefeller -- Bill Gates. And finally the inevitable Irish pop singer, no not the very famous short one -- the other somewhat less famous tall one. Me.

When Tutu speaks one listens. He talks of the idealistic imperative we have to other human beings. He asks what obligations do we have as a society to those we will never know or never see? He asked the audience to imagine just one person on the brink of death because of AIDS. He asked us to put a face on that person of someone we know. Then he said imagine only one month later going back to that person and seeing them begin the long agonizing haul to Life again. This is the Lazarus-like miracle of Anti-Retroviral drugs. Now imagine that person and then times it by 3 million... because that's how many people in Africa are today, this minute, receiving free AIDS treatment because of effective aid. A mere 6 years ago only 50,000 had to pay the pittance they had for whatever drugs were available. Those, the majority, with no money, simply died, leaving both the very old and the very young as orphans. Tutu's point is that humans are not only extraordinary creatures but that Aid, that beautiful instrument of humanity, is a working miracle in itself.

And, why would the person who is the driver of modern technology and therefore the modern economy devote the rest of his life and his fortune to fulfilling that obligation? Because Bill Gates is an empiricist and the condition of poverty, or at least many aspects of it, is empirical. It can be measured. And it can be removed. And in not removing it we are not only abandoning our societal obligation, we are also being criminally economically self-defeating.

Poverty must go. Without removing it, we will not have a stable world. The global financial architecture collapsed and now must be rebuilt. One of the reasons this was a failure of the system rather than simply within it was because 50% of the planet, those who live on less than $2 per day, were excluded from it. You cannot live on less than $2 a day. What is more, by excluding them from the world economy, we excluded their creativity, their dynamism, their intellect, their ideas and their productivity. We did great damage to ourselves in doing so.

We mustn't make the same mistake again as we rebuild a newer world economy. We must include the peripheral peoples in the marginal economies, we must include Africa and Africans if only so that they can buy our stuff and we can buy theirs. And then, as happens anywhere else, the aid question disappears..

We are not there yet. So, for now, aid stabilizes the poor of this world at a base level. It manages sometimes to get to some people so that they get to stay alive with a little bit of food, so they get to stay alive with a little bit of medicine, and so they get a little bit of education. Then with a coherent state they can begin to get going. And to help with that, we look primarily to the G7 -- the world's richest economies, the countries of plenty.

So, how are they doing?

The United States, Canada and Japan are meeting or beating modest targets. This group includes last year's G8 hosts and next year's G8 host. Though their targets were less ambitious than those of the European members of the G8, they have legitimacy because they are meeting them.

The UK and Germany made very ambitious promises and have made great strides towards meeting those promises. Though they are both currently a bit behind in their progress, both Gordon Brown of Labour and David Cameron of the Conservatives in the UK have said they are committed to meeting this promise and have budgeted for the committed aid increases. This in a time of domestic hardship is politically brave and indeed honorable but it is also good, sound political sense. Germany has made budget provisions for continued significant and laudable increases, but will unfortunately probably just fall short of their target.

Despite some key investments from France in global health programs, France has made little progress towards its ambitious promise. This is pathetic given France's economic, cultural and historic links with Africa. Indeed it is so pathetic Germany has overtaken France in its economic co-operation with Africa for the first time ever.

And then there's Italy, this year's G8 host. Last year's host kept their promise; next year's host has kept theirs. But Italy has only done 3% of what Prime Minister Berlusconi personally and nationally promised in 2005. I'll repeat that figure of craven dishonesty -- 3%! So it is quite proper to ask -- what legitimacy does Italy have to run the G8 this year? How can you possibly trust a government that promises something, does nothing and expects to the lead the world's biggest economies? Especially when this promise was a solemn one between the rich and the poor. Between the powerful and the weak. Surely a test of power is how it cares for the frail. A measure of strength is how it safeguards the weak. In these tests Italy has failed.

On debt cancellation, the G8 are largely making good, thus enabling 34 million children to go to school for the first time ever. That's 34 million new brains actively engaged with our world. However the current financial crisis may give rise to a newer debt problem. This needs to be avoided.

Of course everyone knows that it is only through trade that economies can thrive and give a life to its people. The good economy and the good society go side by side. But on their commitment "to make trade work for Africa," they are an utter failure. Though African exports have increased in recent years, it is not because of policy changes by the G8, but because of spikes in commodity prices including oil and food. Africa still only accounts for 3.5% of global trade, the smallest share of any region in the world. And yet the African economy is the 10th largest in the world. It is bigger than Brazil or India or Mexico or Russia. Indeed the only emerging economy greater than Africa's is China. Of course because its Africa nobody knows this or thinks about it. Nuts.

This group was not assembled yesterday because some (Irish) pop stars decided aid is cool. But it is. Cool Aid. We were together because there is a profound logic and a compelling imperative about meeting these G8 commitments. Unless we bring the marginal peoples and their economies into the core of the world economy, into the center of the decision making process, whatever new system we build out of the ashes of this failed one will once again be asymmetric. Top heavy. Unstable. And therefore it will fall again. And people everywhere will hurt again. And some will topple from survival to non-existence because when the rich become less rich the poor become even poorer.

That is why our firm focus must turn to Italy over the next few weeks. Prime Minister Berlusconi will visit President Obama shortly. The US has kept faith with the African poor. The President must as a matter of urgency ask precisely why the US and all of Italy's G8 partners (with the inglorious exception La France Perfide) should keep to its solemn binding word and Italy need not? Is there some special circumstance? Are they or are they not in the top rank of economies? If they are -- pay up your membership fee. If not -- get out.

Let the Italian Prime Minister come up with a plan but lets see his signature on the check before we believe him again. Let us watch to see if the Italian Prime Minister understands his global responsibility. Let us see if Italy keeps faith with the world's poor.

 

 

Comments

[OldSchoolLiberal]

Move the UN to Central Africa.

Let people all over the world come to Africa and spend billions and set up infrastructure so that Africans can participate in the global economy as equals not as charity cases.

Why on earth do rich diplomats need to come to New York.

[saraudm]

Italy did indeed have colonies in Africa: in the Horn (of Africa) and in Libya, and during the fascism the colonization as been particularly brutal. Berlusconi has signed a reimbursement agreement with Libya for 5 billion $ while in 2005 the Axum's obelisk has been finally returned to Ethiopia from where it was stolen in 1937.

Said that for me, as Italian, it's clear that this is one of the million broken promises that Berlusconi has made and I'm not at all surprised that he gave only 3% of what promised. At his recent meeting with President Obama he has again pledged aid to the African continent but I would suggest to Mr Geldof not to count on the Italian government (at least not a Berlusconi's one). If you guys would have followed what has been said and written in past month about this man you would not be surprised either.

[Brian Mpofu]

Italy did not colonize any country in Africa. Let those who benefited from colonization and continue to do so through multinational corporations give the most aid to Africa.

What a shambolic system this is.......Who gains from this nonsense?

In the West...banks suck the vitality out of the people. When they fail they get bailed out by the Government so they can do more damage.
In Africa...c­orporation­s suck resources. When they leave behind impoverished economies and environmental disasters, Governments are called again to boost aid.

Its a nonsensical merry go round of a system that is detrimental to all involved.

[Mannock]

Yes, it did. From the Roman Empire to the invasion of Ethiopia in the 1930s, Italy was, and is, a major player in the shaping of Africa. And its colonial history is every bit as bad as that of the UK, France and Belgium. It is just more sporadic. Your first paragraph, no, your first sentence, has virtually no analytical merit. Why would you say this?

[David Petti]

The Roman Empire and the current Republic Italy and by no means even closely related. Without even acknowledging the chasm of two thousands years between the existence of the two, each was and is a separate political entitly. To state that Italy bears responsibility for the actions of the Roman Empire is akin to blaming the Mexican government for the actions of the Aztecs or the Irish for the behavior of the Celts.

[WilliamL]

To those who want to throw poo at Geldolf, what have any of you done to equal the scale of involvement that Geldolf has created and achieved? Huh? Nothing is the answer and all of you know it.

Geldolf gave a rats ass when he did not have to back in the decades of green and sleze which lead us to the point we are now. When most musicians/artist were caugh up in their own little worlds and concerned about their own consumption.

Geldolf raised the level of awarness regarding and most def. has done good yet some of you folks want to attach him?

Some of you folks need to go find a mirror if you wd. like to start pointing fingers.

[Pema]

a challenge eh? ok., well comnsidering mosyt of us dont have the finacial resources to involve ourselves as much as BG you'll need to allow some wiggle room. at 31 i had given 4000 hours of charitble service. I am almost 51 now, i guess several more thousand hours have been racked up, i dont agree with everything he focuses on. my guess is you havent come close to doing what i or he has done. remeber the needing to get a paycheck to feed your kids before you diss people. raising fine humans beings is a service to the world. i dont have kids, so i help others, i am not rich, i just go without something. my birthday gift from my hubby is a donation to animal rescue. what are you getting for yours? some other thing you really dont need? hows about having your family and friends donating to a charity in your name for holidays and birthday...

[WilliamL]

Geldolfs work has raised awarness of the situation in Africa which in turn has motivated others to do what they can on the level they can.

You sd. not assume that you have done more than others with your charitible works-good for you. Many folks have done lots of good work in their own lives, professional work.

Geldolf did what he could with his resources and contacts and so forth. He got the ball rolling decades ago and gov'ts around the world have failed on numbers levels.

Perhaps what is really needed in certain areas of Africa are thousands of individuals such as your self to be dropped into the region with military escorts as in send the Marines in to do some house cleaning to pave the way to set up things such as clean water, medical treatments, and food.

The world has danced around while genocide and starvation has occured for decades but the notion of taking direct action against those committing the murder, rape, and death is something most have can not stomach and do not support.

Geldof has done what he can, we all do what we can, but for those who want to attack people such as Geldolf, have no patience.

And THANK YOU for all your charitible deeds. Hooray.

[aggiey]

Mr Geldof, its time you sit down and asked your how have your 'good work' help the continent of Africa in long term? It was more the two decades ago when you put together the aid world's day with the picture of an Ethiopian young girl, twenty more years later, you still have the pictures of another generation of young African kids, isn't it the time you see thats its not working in a long term for the continent? The potrayal of the negative image of Africa by people like you is contribution to lack of its economical growth, becos how do you expect anyone to have interest to invest in Africa when what the see on their tv about Africa are images of sickness, war and poverty? If you want to help in any way, try focusing on the positivity in Africa or just sit in your house and for once leave Africans leaders to see for themselves what they can do to help their dying children and what can they come up with that will help then in a long term plan.
Aid handouts like yours have encourage the incompetence of the African leaders to depend on aid to run their countries.

[Schpaetzle]

He is talking about how little most people in world live on and this is the same guy that has daughters that spend money and time frivolously like it is out of fashion? How about cleaning up at home first then start talking about the rest of the world afterwards.

Sorry if that sounds bitter.

[ElleHartman]

You are judging all of Italy and the Italian people on Berlusconi's word. How many promises has he kept to Italians themselves? Having family and friends from Italy that go to Africa to volunteer their time as doctors, engineers or teachers, you should do your homework before making it sound as if all Italians agree with every move of the Italian government. Historically, this is not the case in Italy. Furthermore, the Italians that I know do not wait for the government to do the right thing and act on their own to make positive changes in the world. In all countries of the governments you have mentioned, there are people willing to go above and beyond to help others.

[kbella]

Thank you! My Italian husband's aunt is a doctor and she LIVES in Kenya teaching young women to be nurses! She has volunteered her entire life to helping Africa.

[darker]

Sure, Italy is keeping faith with they world's poor!
They pay frequent visits to their economical­ly-crashed Italian-American
relatives on LONG ISLAND, NY USA to help them out financially.
Without Italian foreign aid, Long Island NY has little chance of survival.

[Jsens3]

I think Africa should follow the lead of Singapore that was desperately poor after WWII, but in a short half century became wealthy. The firs thing Africans need to do is get rid of the kleptocrats and open up to trade. As long as the kleptocrats steal money sent to the countries, there will be little progress.

[SylvanMbewe]

Mr. Geldof, please read 'Dead Aid' by Dr. Dambisa Moyo. At some point you have to stop doing the bidding for us Africans and maybe let us handle our own affairs. Africans can't engage Italy, or any other Western power for that matter, as equals if you're the one speaking on our behalf. We need jobs, ideas on how to improve, not more handouts, they are not helping.

[KatarinaNolte]

Have environmentalists train people in ecological self-sustenance, so that they can teach others within their region. Same with other types of training, school teacher volunteers, and micro-loans for the women of the households. Children learn primarily from women. Empower your girls and women.

[Samsara]

Bob Geldof:
When will you give a concert IN Africa ?
Instead of FOR Africa ?!?

[PresidentRobertBooth]

Hey, how about Italy taking care of its own people and Africa for once looking after itself?

[nico89]

blind ^

[PresidentRobertBooth]

***blind ^***

Indeed.

How DARE I suggest that the Italian government put Italy before Africa in its priorities.

[Dark Sphere]

Just like blacks need to do in America, so do the Africans in that continent, they need to pull themselves up by their own boot straps. We are continually told how bright they are and inventive, let's see it put in to practice, unless they are not up for it.

[Thaencyder]

you don't seem to understand how Economics and politics work.

[goodforme]

mr. geldof,

it will be more fruitfu; if you put your energy in STOPPING colonial masters in italy and other countries from STEALING from africa and other nations with lethal forces and corrupting schemes.

[lastpost]

On equal par with support must come population management. Or short term aid can never ensure long term sustainability. And the seeds you seek to sow, will be those of self-destruction.