China calls for more development aid to poor nations
WASHINGTON, Monday (Xinhua) Chinese Finance Minister Jin Renqing said
that prompt and sufficient development assistance by the international
community is critical to achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
and called for more aid to poor countries especially those in Africa.
In a statement at the 72nd meeting of the Development committee of
the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Jin said that
the number of poor people in Africa has doubled with many social
indicators lagging far behind the MDGs and so reducing poverty and
promoting development in Africa are of extreme importance to achieving
the MDGs globally.
China welcomes the G8's commitment to doubling its aid to Africa from
around 25 billion dollars in 2004 to 50 billion dollars in 2010 and
expanding debt relief to heavily indebted poor countries (HIPCs), he
said.
"G8 Finance Ministers' new debt relief initiative presents a very
good opportunity for HIPCs, particularly for those in Africa, to achieve
the MDGs," he said.
On the world trade negotiations, Jin said that the Doha round of
trade negotiation should be an opportunity to promote equitable and fair
trade so that it can be a real Development Round and lay a solid
foundation for the MDGs. |