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29/01/2010
Little
Malta's aid to Africa
Desmond Zammit Marmarà
Reflect
on the fact that, while you are reading this article, children are
dying of hunger somewhere in the continent of Africa and in other areas
of the world. This is a shocking fact given that we are living in the
year 2010, which is why it is indeed an honour that a small country
like Malta is also doing something about it. It is a small country that
is playing its part in alleviating the suffering of our brothers and
sisters in Africa and other parts of the world.
As a
member of the United Nations Organisation, Malta is committed to giving
its share of aid to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals by
the year 2015. These goals include the eradication of extreme poverty
and hunger; the achievement of universal primary education; the
promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women; the
reduction of child mortality; the improvement of maternal health;
combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental
sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development.
Africa is, of course, one of the prime beneficiaries of such aid.
As
one of the countries that became members of the European Union in 2004,
Malta is committed to giving official development assistance equivalent
to 0.17 per cent of its gross national income by 2010 and 0.33 per cent
of its GNI by 2015. ODA equivalent to 0.7 per cent of the GNI was the
target originally set by the United Nations.
Indeed,
Eurobarometer research has indicated that nine out of 10 Europeans
continue to support development aid even in a time of economic turmoil
such as in a situation like that prevailing today.
It is
indeed heartening that, in this area of foreign policy, both the
Nationalist government and the Labour opposition have cooperated to the
utmost. For example, in 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided
funds to nine local NGOs to carry out projects in Africa and South
America to help in fighting poverty. In fact, €330,000 were made
available. This is an increase of 65 per cent over the previous year -
2008.
Foreign
Minister Tonio Borg has emphasised the values that underlie Malta's
foreign policy. These values include solidarity and respect for human
life and the dignity and freedom of every human being. As such, all
development must be sustainable development, which takes place in full
respect of the cultural and natural heritage and environment.
Development is viewed as a crucial catalyst in ensuring that
globalisation is a positive force, narrowing the wealth gap and
ensuring that the centre of economic and political action is the human
being, including his/her dignity.
However,
the Labour spokesman for international development aid, Noel Farrugia,
was correct recently in calling for further improvement in the aid
given by Malta to Africa. Mr Farrugia said that it should be members of
the Maltese House of Representatives who should take the initiative to
encourage dialogue and directly establish parliamentary friendship
committees with their respective parliamentary counterparts who
represent all African nations in order that the ultimate goal in the
fight to eradicate hunger and poverty will be achieved as intended in
the Millennium Development Goals.
This
is an area of foreign policy that can bring great honour to Malta
because it is a national achievement that a country so small as ours,
indeed the smallest member of the EU, manages, nevertheless, to help
less-fortunate countries in Africa and other continents in need of aid.
Moreover,
cooperation between the government and the opposition in matters of
foreign policy is highly desirable as this leads to the acquisition of
much-needed experience in such cooperation between Malta's major
political parties. This could be of supreme value, in the future, in
the event of a national emergency such as a threat to the country's
security or an environmental crisis.
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