Tuesday, July 05, 2005

So, how useful is Live8?

Hmm, I know it'll sound bad, but ha!!!

I was right!

There was just a news report on Mozambique and the problems that they have (the average income is less than $US1 per day, they have hardly any structures in place to earn them money and no-one's investing in the country).

A businessman who has started up the Mozambique stock exchange (which is housed in a tiny office) said that people need education so that they'll be able to work in jobs like that which will bring money in to the country and be profitable in terms of creating infrastructure and import/export relationships with other countries.

One thing I remember the reporter saying was that no matter what happens, the problems won't be solved by one week in a G8 summit. Nor, do I suspect, from a few Live8 concerts.

Sure, the Live8 thing is a great idea.

But since the original Live8, exports from Africa to the rest of the world have dropped from 6% to 2%, so it's clear that the original Live8 may have raised some money and made people feel bad about African children dying, but it didn't actually help people in terms of encouraging an expansion in the work markets, promoting trade with African nations or giving business/trade education to the countries.

Countries need to be able to generate income, not just get to live on hand-outs from us in the 'richer' countries. People need to be educated for that, investments need to be made, time needs to be spent. And that may take lots of time and effort.

Chucking money at the countries and cutting debt may make some sort of instant solution, but what about next year? And the year after? And the next decade? What about when we're having Live8 in another 20 years? Will trade with Africa be at -2% then?

Give a person a fish and they'll eat for a day, but teach them to fish and they'll eat for life...

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