Revealed: the new scramble for Africa
A new “scramble for Africa” is taking place among the world’s big powers, who are tapping into the continent for its oil and diamonds.
Tony Blair is pushing hard for African debt relief agreements in the run-up to the G8 summit in Scotland in July. But while sub-Saharan Africa is the object of the west’s charitable concern, billions of pounds’ worth of natural resources are being removed from it.
A Guardian investigation beginning today reveals that instead of enriching often debt-ridden countries, some big corporations are accused by campaigners of facilitating corruption and provoking instability – so much so that organisations such as Friends of the Earth talk of an “oil curse”.
Simon Taylor, director of Global Witness, which has been prominent in urging reform, said: “Western companies and banks have colluded in stripping Africa’s resources. We need to track revenues from oil, mining and logging into national budgets to make sure that the money isn’t siphoned off by corrupt officials.”
Looting of state assets by corrupt leaders should become a crime under international law, he said.
“The G8 should take the lead in this.”
Full: guardian.co.uk
Yeah that’s the ticket. Send in the wolves to guard to henhouse. Geldof and Bono will be in charge.
June 1st, 2005 at 1:57 pm
Western companies and banks have colluded in stripping Africa’s resources. We need to track revenues from oil, mining and logging into national budgets to make sure that the money isn’t siphoned off by corrupt officials."
Looting of state assets by corrupt leaders should become a crime under international law, he said.
"The G8 should take the lead in this."
* Yes, we must make sure that we are not losing any money. This statement is interesting – appeasing the "progressives" by giving mention to "western companies and banks" but the statement ends with the problem being with the "Looting of state assets by corrupt leaders," meaning the African leaders. So in effect, this statement is saying that the G8 should take a leading role in prosecuting corrupt African leaders who siphon off money from Western financed projects.
Doublespeak. Some of these NGO’s are really dangerous with their manipulation of words and prescribed solutions.