G8 nations offer aid, but don't say how much
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The world's richest nations promised yesterday to build a multibillion pounds "partnership" with the new democracies of the "Arab Spring" -- but forgot to write out the cheque.
The final communiqué of the G8 summit in Deauville in Normandy spoke of the "historic potential" of the democratic revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt and promised international aid to help to meet popular "aspirations" for stability and growth.
The summit made a "Deauville Declaration" calling on international development banks and wealthy nations to channel billions of pounds of new investment into Egypt and Tunisia so long as they maintained their course towards democracy.
But the communiqué was notably light – and deliberately confusing – on specific figures and new commitments. The US President, Barack Obama, with support from the Prime Minister, David Cameron, blocked a suggestion by the summit chairman, President Nicolas Sarkozy, that the G8 countries should promise a package of $40bn of loans and aid. The final statement said only that international development banks "could provide over $20bn" for Egypt and Tunisia over three years "in support of suitable reform efforts". Non-governmental organisations pointed out that G8 summits had a reputation as a "promise machine". The $50bn which was "pledged" over five years to Africa in 2005 had fallen $19bn short.
The Oxfam spokeswoman, Emma Seery, said: "Unless they deliver on their existing commitments to fight poverty [in Africa] what's to say this is not just another batch of empty promises?"
The interim Tunisian finance minister, Jaloul Ayad, said that his country alone needed up to $25bn of investment over five years to meet the "expectations" of young people and stop the kind of emigration which has caused "exaggerated" panic in Europe in recent weeks.
President Sarkozy also faced a couple of light-hearted questions on the increasingly apparent – but not yet admitted – pregnancy of his wife, Carla.
The Deauville summit also called upon the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to depart and allow the Arab Spring to engulf the country.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments