Rich countries called on to combat poverty in Africa

DAVOS, Switzerland – Former President Bill Clinton on Thursday questioned the Bush administration’s $80 billion request to finance the war in Iraq when “a pittance” of that amount would allow the United States to double its aid and help end massive poverty in Africa.

Others at the World Economic Forum including Microsoft chief Bill Gates and British Prime Minister Tony Blair joined Clinton in urging rich countries to reach deeper into their pockets.

“You want to go save 4 million lives?” Clinton asked. “Give them the medicine. It’s not rocket science, and it’s so cheap compared to everything else all these rich countries do.”

“Anybody who says we shouldn’t do this because there’s corruption and incompetence should be put in a closet,” he added. “I mean, this is ridiculous.”

Meeting the U.N. goal of cutting global poverty in half by 2015 was a top issue, though Middle East peace, bioterrorism and oil prices shared the spotlight Thursday at the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering of top business executives, politicians and social leaders.

Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres said the recent Palestinian effort to move toward peace “exceeds our expectations,” and he expected Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to meet the new Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, in “days, not weeks.”

“I think we can move faster than we thought earlier – faster and better if nothing wrong will occur,” Peres said at this ski resort in the Swiss Alps.

But the panel attracting the biggest audience Thursday featured Clinton, Blair, Gates, the presidents of South Africa and Nigeria, and U2 rock star Bono discussing whether the seven wealthiest nations and Russia – the G8 – will take action to end poverty in Africa.

A report to the United Nations this month concluded poverty can be cut in half by 2015 and eliminated by 2025 if the world’s richest countries, including the United States, Japan and Germany, more than double aid to the poorest countries.

At stake is life or death for tens of millions of people, it said.

“We need this critical mass of resources to make a change, to make a difference,” Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo said.

Blair, who is making Africa a focus of his leadership of the G-8, said the continent’s plight is “a scar on the conscience of the world.” He reiterated his call for an African Commission to analyze what’s wrong and prescribe how “to put it right.”

“The absolutely key thing is to agree that the end objective is a very substantial uplift in aid,” he said.

Gates, who has amassed an estimated $48 billion as founder of Microsoft Corp., said millions of children in Africa could be saved if there were enough resources.

“The fact that we don’t apply the resources to the known cures or to finding better cures is really … the most scandalous issue of our time,” he said.

Gates has been one of the largest contributors to alleviating global poverty and recently pledged $750 million to support immunization programs in developing countries.

Bono made his own pledge.

“People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” the singer said. “What else are we going to be remembered for, our generation? … We will be remembered for three things right now: the Internet, the war against terror, and what we did or didn’t do about this glorious continent of Africa and its travails.”

“I think we can be the generation that ends extreme poverty, I really do, and I think I will spend the rest of my life pledged to that commitment,” Bono said.

Clinton said American voters would never punish a politician for embracing the fight against poverty and disease in Africa, and questioned the Bush administration’s commitment to the issue.

“Let’s get real,” Clinton said. “The president just asked for $80 billion for the Iraq war for a year. For a pittance of that we could double America’s international assistance in all these areas. This is cheap.”