New Democrats accuse Conservatives of abandoning Africa

OTTAWA – New Democrat Critic for International Cooperation John Rafferty (Thunder Bay – Rainy River) claims that the Conservative government is abandoning a moral commitment to assist Africa’s development efforts and says that thousands of lives could be lost as a result of recent changes in CIDA’s bilateral aid program.

“The effects of this government’s recent changes to CIDA’s bilateral aid program are starting to hit home in Africa and people are going to start suffering,” Rafferty said. As proof, Rafferty points to a recent article in the Globe and Mail that detailed the struggles of Malawi farmers who benefited from a soon to be cancelled Canadian program that reduced Cholera levels by providing for clean drinking water in several communities. “Programs like this are going to be eliminated, people will get sick, and many will die,” Rafferty said. “It’s a fact.”

Rafferty also took aim at the lack of rationale behind the restructuring and cuts to bilateral aid and said he believes they are motivated by economic self-interest and ideology rather than goodwill. “This government is simply more interested in getting a return on its investment than actually helping people,” Rafferty said.

Recently, the IMF issues a list of 26 developing states that it deemed to be ‘Highly Vulnerable’ during the economic crisis. Managing Director of the IMF Dominique Strauss-Kahn was quoted as saying; "Bilateral donors must ensure that aid flows are scaled up, not trimmed back." Because of the Conservative government’s recently announced changes to CIDA’s bilateral aid regime, many highly vulnerable African countries like Malawi, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo will see their bilateral assistance and program funding eliminated.