Why the West's billions may end up in the wrong hands

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June 09, 2005


By Richard Beeston
The G8 summit could help to make poverty history for a number of African countries, but corruption remains a major worry

SOME OF Africa’s most corrupt and brutal regimes will benefit to the tune of billions of pounds from the agreement reached by Tony Blair and President Bush to write off the debts of the continent’s poorest nations.

Even as the Prime Minister returned triumphant from Washington with a deal that could salvage his hopes of making Africa the centrepiece of this year’s G8 Summit in Gleneagles, the continent’s woeful record on human rights, corruption and good government was already casting a shadow over his plans.

Ethiopian police shot and killed 22 demonstrators in central Addis Ababa yesterday for protesting against fraud in recent elections. Hospitals in the capital said that a further 100 were injured. The opposition leader was last night placed under house arrest, and the EU issued a condemnation.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1646697,00.html