Libya: Africa's future not in G8 hands

While I’m inclined to agree that African societies need a better gameplan than “beg the same Capitalists who exploit us to give us money” if they ever want to become self-sufficient, Qadhafi doesn’t seem to have many answers of his own.

Monday 04 July 2005, 14:35 Makka Time, 11:35 GMT

Amid global calls to combat poverty in Africa, Libyan leader and host Muammar al-Qadhafi has urged African nations to stop “begging” at an African summit, attended by more than 50 leaders.

Al-Qadhafi also urged African countries on Monday to overcome past failures during a speech that lasted more than half an hour.

“Pleading to the G8 to lift debts won’t make a future for Africa,” said al-Qadhafi. “We need cooperation between the big and the small countries in the world.

“Begging won’t make a future for Africa,” he added.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa, too, attended the opening of the two-day meeting, held during a series of international protests and Live-8 concerts ahead of Wednesday’s G8 meeting in Scotland.

Mammoth task

African leaders meeting in Sirte, a coastal city on Libya’s Mediterranean coast, are expected to try to unite and push for at least one permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

The summit is also expected to discuss conflicts in Africa, particularly the Darfur crisis, and issue an international appeal to help the continent battle disease and famine during the two-day summit.

The 53-nation African Union (AU) was created in 2002 as the…

Posted by MarchHare

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