African heads of state call for G8 to wipe out debt

AFRICAN Union (AU) heads have adopted a “common position” on asking rich G8 nations to wipe out the debt of all African countries and abolish all agriculture subsidies.

AU spokesman Adam Thiam said the statement, drawn up for presentation at today’s G8 summit, hailed June’s $40 billion (E33.6bn) debt relief package extended by G8 countries to 18 poor countries, 14 of them in Africa.

But he said debt forgiveness “must be applied by all creditors, including the African Development Bank” and that “all African countries must benefit from this measure.”