20 July, 2008

Politics and the starving

There are reports that the EU has a ‘spare’ 1 billion euros and that it plans to give it away to Africa. The sum is sitting around unused because with food prices high they don’t have to subsidise the farmers quite as much.

A few points need making here:

1 The money results from overpayment by member states and should be returned to them, leaving them with the decision as to whether to increase aid to Africa.

2 The EU is trying to muscle in on another area. Aid should be left to member states unless they vote a specific sum to a specific project run by the EU, the UN or whatever The Eurocrats are hoping no one will say no because it is going to a good cause.

3 One of the reasons Africa is in need of aid is the EU farm policy itself, which prevents African farmers selling their produce to the richest market on earth.

This is a political manoeuvre and nothing else. It will do little to help Africans and much to help those who are working, by fair means or foul, towards a political union.

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