30 June 2005

Following the Bush announcement on doubling aid to sub-Saharan Africa by 2010, Patrick Watt, senior policy officer at ActionAid said: “This is a very modest step forward that is being spun as a colossal leap.

“Three quarters of the increase has already been committed and 70% is tied to the purchase of US goods and services. The Bush initiative on AIDS still insists on overpriced drugs from US pharmaceuticals, and is forcing a moralistic approach to prevention.

“Africa’s 4.7 million people in need of Aids drugs, and the 40 million children who are out of school, deserve more than this. They cannot afford to wait until 2010.”

The US is doubling its aid from US$4 billion to US$8 billion annually over five years. The increase is equivalent to two days’ US military spending.