1.
TRADE
Although these matters fall to be decided at the EU and WTO,
the trade measures to help the developing world are very much
on the political agenda at the G8. The most effective way of
helping African countries to develop is to free up markets
for their trade. Protection for developed countries at the
expense of the developing world is both immoral and hypocritical.
For every pound that rich countries give to poor countries
in aid, those countries lose two pounds through protectionist
trade barriers. We are deeply dismayed that over the last 4
years 20 billion pounds has been spent by the EU subsidising
EU so that they can undercut competitors in African markets.
This is a waste of European taxpayers money and a direct cause
of African impoverishment.
The EU should allow poor countries tariff free access to our
markets, benefiting both British consumers and poorer producers.
We believe in freer
trade because it creates wealth and spreads prosperity. South
Korea and Taiwan – and more recently
India and China – have shown how participation in the world
economy makes poor countries richer and relieves poverty. We
make the case for freer trade – and should practice at
home what we preach abroad by opening our markets.
2. AID
Aid should be used to encourage the pre-requisites of poverty
reduction; good government; sound economic policies; property
rights and the rule of law.
Conservatives are
deeply committed to international development. We support extra
resources for the fight against poverty. The
extra money has the potential to save millions of lives. It is
most important to ensure that aid is spent transparently – that
hard working taxpayers can see their support spent entirely on
what was intended and not siphoned off into the Swiss Bank accounts
of corrupt African tyrants. Aid must be governed by the “good
governance” criteria first introduced by the last Conservative
Government. In general, too, NGOs channel money more effectively
than governments in Africa.
3. DEBT RELIEF
On 11 June 2005 the G7 Finance Ministers agreed a deal which
will cancel 40 billion dollars (22 billion pounds) of debt
owed by 18 of the world’s poorest countries. Under the
agreement the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and
the African Development Fund will immediately write off 100%
of the money owed to them by 18 countries. It will save those
countries of 1.5 billion dollars a year in debt payment.
A further 9 other
countries should benefit from 100% debt relief within 18 months.
After that 11 more countries could be eligible
to join if they met targets for good governance and tackling
corruption. The total package – which must be approved
by the lending institutions – could be worth 55 billion
dollars.
The G7 countries will compensate the multi-lateral institutions
for the lost repayments. Britain will contribute approximately
530 million pounds over the next 10 years.
We welcome this deal but we want to make certain that the money
freed up in this way is spent on fighting disease and educating
children. The battle in Africa against the pandemic of HIV/AIDS
is of critical importance, as I saw in my visit last week to
Uganda. We must put in place robust measures to ensure that the
money released by debt cancellation is used to fight poverty.
The Conservative Party is committed to championing the interests
of the poorest in the world and tackling the scourges of disease,
ignorance and neglect. This should be done through freer and
fairer trade, better and more accountable aid and effective
debt relief. We will expect recipient Governments to respond
to British taxpayers support by providing good and accountable
government to their own people.
4. ACTION ON GLOBAL POVERTY
Poverty is not inevitable. We have a moral duty to help – and
not to hinder. A Conservative Government will match current spending
plans and we will work towards meeting by 2013 the UN target
of 0.7% of national income on aid.
