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G-8 Leaders Unveil $50B in African Aid

Shaken G-8 leaders agree on aid, climate
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, front, gives a statement as G-8 and African leaders stand behind him at the conclusion of the summit July 8 in Gleneagles, Scotland. Wrapping up an event shaken by terrorism agreed on an "alternative to the hatred" -- aid packages for the Palestinian Authority and Africa and a mere pledge to address global climate change. (AFP/Getty Images/Jim Watson)

By TOM RAUM | Associated Press Writer

8:12 AM EDT, July 9, 2005

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GLENEAGLES, Scotland - Vowing not to be sidetracked by the deadly London bombings, world leaders unveiled a $50 billion package Friday to help lift Africa from poverty and proposed up to $9 billion to help the Palestinians achieve peace with Israel.

"We offer today this contrast with the politics of terror," said British Prime Minister Tony Blair, wrapping an economic summit jolted by Thursday's bus and subway attacks.

Leaders also pledged new joint efforts against terrorism in response to the attacks.

The Group of Eight nations -- the United States, Britain, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Russia -- adjourned early Friday so Blair could return to London to deal with the crisis.

Among leaders, however, President Bush was first to leave this secluded golf resort and was airborne half an hour before the start of Blair's closing news conference.

Upon arriving in Washington, Bush went directly to the British Embassy to sign a condolence book on behalf of the American people.

Among the new anti-terrorism commitments are a promise to work together to improve rail and subway safety, and seeking a wider U.N. role in discouraging terrorism.

"We assure the people of the United Kingdom of our solidarity in the continuing struggle against terrorism," G-8 members said in a statement pledging "to bring terrorists to justice wherever they are."

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned against going too far and putting more restrictions on democracy. In doing that, "We would be giving a great gift to the terrorists themselves because they are aiming exactly for that," Putin told reporters. "They want to use the instruments of democratic society to destroy democracy."

Leaders also endorsed new trade deals and pledged universal access to AIDS treatment.

Bush met for 20-30 minutes Friday morning with Blair to discuss the bombings, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters on Air Force One as Bush flew home.

Bush also was devoting his Saturday radio address to the attacks.

With a last-minute pledge from Japan, Blair won a key victory -- a promise to boost Africa aid to $50 billion annually by 2010, from the current $25 billion. The United States did not make any additional pledges. Bush announced last week that he would seek to double U.S. aid to Africa by 2010.

At Blair's behest, the G-8 nations also endorsed canceling the debt of 18 of the world's poorest nations and renewed their commitment to a peacekeeping force in Africa.

"All of this does not change the world tomorrow. It is a beginning, not an end," said Blair, the summit host, with summit leaders and the leaders of five African countries standing behind him on the steps of the Gleneagles Hotel.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo thanked them for their "resolve not to be diverted by these terrorist acts."

Blair failed, however, to get all summit countries to commit to boosting foreign aid to an amount equal to 0.7 percent of national income by 2015. U.S. giving is currently 0.16 percent of national income, the smallest percentage of any G-8 country.

Even so, Irish rock star Bono, who helped organize last weekend's global Live 8 concerts to pressure G-8 leaders to spend more money on Africa, said "a mountain has been climbed."

"We've pulled this off," he said. "The world spoke and the politicians listened."

G-8 members pledged up to $3 billion a year for three years, or up $9 billion total, much of it in the form of private investments, to help energize the Palestinian economy and create conditions more conducive to getting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process back on track.