By Sharon S. Tibenda

20^th Sept 2010

A report by the Commission for Africa that was set up by Britain’s former Prime Minister Tony Blair to find solutions to poverty in Africa says the continent needs billions more dollars in aid.

In its report, the Commission said while the world’s poorest continent has made “extraordinary progress” since 2005, “many still live in poverty”. The Commission’s report has been published ahead of a global poverty summit in New York later this month.  Africa, the report said, has changed a great deal in five years.

It attributes these changes to what it called “dramatic” economic growth and “a surge in trade and investment” that is fuelled by the demand for Africa’s natural resources from countries such as China and India.  But the commission also says the vast majority of people in the continent have yet to benefit from this economic success.

Some critics of the aid approach to development however argue that Africa does not need aid but fair trade rules at the international level.  This, they say, will enable Africa as a continent to trade fairly on the global stage with the rich countries that sometimes offer state subsidies to their farmers to give them a competitive edge.

Others have argued that aid alone will not solve Africa’s chronic under-development if the corruption that eats away all that aid money is not eliminated.  It is also feared that food insecurity caused by climate change means that food prices will continue to rise and thus make poverty reduction more challenging in many parts of Africa.  END. If is Monday, it’s Uganda Correspondent.  Never miss out again!