World Vision welcomes G8 aid decision
Aid agency World Vision Ireland has congratulated the G8 leaders on their decision to double their annual aid to the developing world.
World Vision CEO Helen Keogh said: “We welcome the pledge by the G8 to double aid to $50bn annually, which will double the size of the African economy by 2015.
“It is disappointing, but not unexpected, that the leaders failed to agree to a date by which trade barriers would be lifted. World Vision trusts the commitment of the leaders to the importance of trade justice and calls on them to decide on a date for this in the very near future”.
Ms Keogh added: “We should not underestimate the struggle that supporters of the Make Poverty History campaign, including Bob Geldof, Bono, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have had in convincing the other G8 leaders that the time to act on the African problem is now."
But World Vision Ireland urged people to continue to donate to charities working in the developing world.
Ms Keogh said: “The money given so generously by Irish people is used for vital development work such as providing clean water, immunisation, education and training in improved farming methods.
"Even with the doubling of aid and the dropping of debt, all of which will have a very significant impact in the long term, this community based help will still be essential going forward. Cutting this off would have a disastrous impact on communities that are dependent on our support.”
