THE G 8 IN SCOTLAND

FROM THE BBC WEB NEWS.

Viewpoints: Can G8 proposals help Africa?

The UK government is promoting a set of proposals to help Africa out of the poverty trap at this year's summit of the eight richest nations - the G8. The recommendations which Prime Minister Tony Blair is backing come out of a report produced by the Commission for Africa, which he established.
The commission recommended: 100% debt cancellation for the poorest nations, the doubling of aid to Africa, the removal of barriers to trade with African nations, and improved governance.
We asked eight commentators whether such steps point to the right way forward for Africa. Click on the links below to find out what they said.

"I am hopeful our recommendations will be adopted"Anna Tibaijuka, Tanzanian on Commission for Africa
"Mr Blair is doing one of the biggest disservices to the African continent"Andrew Mwenda, Monitor newspaper, Uganda
"There's a need for developing countries to be in the driving seat of their own development"Sam Danse, Ghana country programme director for Oxfam
"They want to turn Africa into a giant free-trading zone"Stuart Hodkinson, UK Red Pepper magazine
"The focus should be on strengthening civil institutions"Moeletsi Mbeki, South African Institute of International Affairs
"We've got to treat these nations like any other"Robert Whelan, UK think tank Civitas
"We should look at changing the very fundamental policies which make the rich richer, and the poor poorer"Trevor Ngwane, campaigner, South Africa
"Private investment is the best way to generate revenue"Herman Cohen, US ex-asst secretary of state for Africa