Forty-five million children are set to die by 2015 if countries
like the United States and Britain don’t meet their aid quotas,
reports the international agency of Oxfam.
Even though countries like those in the G7 are wealthier than
they have ever been before, they are giving far less in
developmental assistance than what they did in 1960. The paltry
assistance gives only $50 million dollars in foreign aid, while
even less, about 40% is given to underdeveloped countries.
The Oxam agency is looking to G7 countries to cancel all poor
nations’ debts and double their developmental aid. If the G7
does not agree to these terms, the MDG (Millennium Development
Goals) for reducing poverty will be put out of reach.
The MDG also called for universal primary education, halving the
hunger, reduce by two thirds the mortality rate of children
under five and by three quarters the maternal mortality rate;
and halt the spread of HIV/AIDS and the occurrence of other
deadly diseases, like malaria and tuberculosis.
The G7 agreed in 2000 to reach these goals, however none have
increased spending.
The United States is actually ranked dead last with only 0.14
percent of GDP going to foreign aid, which is only 1/10th of
what it spent on the Iraqi war in 2003. Foreign aid given by the
United States is only 1/14th the spending of its annual defense
budget.
The report also shows that Italy and the United States are the
worst in giving aid to poor nations. The Italians spend
approximately 90% of its aid on Italian goods and services while
the United States spends around 70% on its own companies.
The report also shows that not only is the aid important, but
also their influence on the World Bank and International
Monetary Fund. If countries like the United States wished to do
so, they could cancel their debt that is causing so many
problems in places like Africa.
The debt in fact, makes these countries pay three dollars for
every two dollars they received in aid. This causes many
indebted countries to spend more on the debt services than it
does on its own health services for its people, which is
especially hard on countries in Africa which have been stricken
with wide spread HIV/AIDS.
The latest report by Oxam showed that spending $30 billion would
cancel the debt of 32 of the poorest countries; this would only
cost $2.10 per person each year in the wealthiest countries.
Oxfam states that if the current trends continue nearly 247
million more people in sub-Saharan Africa will live in poverty;
34 million more will suffer from hunger; and 45 million children
will die.
“Unless world leaders act now to deliver a historic breakthrough
on poverty,” said Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam’s executive director,
“next year will end in shameful failure.”
