Uganda And Zambia Call On G8 Leaders For International Trade Assistance

President Levy Mwanawasa and Yoweri Museveni of Zambia and Uganda respectively called on world leaders to reaffirm their promise of international trade to the entire African continent ahead of the Group of Eight(G8) Assembly this week. Financial aid on Africa as well as other pressing issues on international trade are the main agenda of the Group of Eight's meeting in Germany.

According to Museveni, the requested financial aid can actually harm more than benefit Uganda as it can cripple their efforts to conduct international trade deals. For his part, Zambian President Mwanawasa invited Western companies to take advantage of their local products by investing on local factories to be able to produce quality products. Mwanawasa reiterated his plea for the G8 leaders to pursue their promised financial aid, which they pledged during the G8 Assembly in 2005 held in Gleaneagles, Scotland. The financial assistance is worth $50 billion a year until 2010. In addition, the G8 representatives guaranteed a total debt relief to the Zambia government.

On the part of the Uganda government, President Museveni said that the international trade assistance his country needs should focus on energy and transportation. Uganda experiences frequent shortage of electricity, which is a major deterrent to investments. The railway system is another major development that Uganda badly needs.

Furthermore, Mwanawasa believed in the sincerity of the Group of Eight members on matters concerning debt relief as an aid to international trade. He is hoping that these countries would press on with their sincerity. However, Museveni warned G8 leaders not to interfere with the political situation in Africa. He said that there is no need for such meddling because Africa can manage its own affairs.

Established in 1975, the Group of Eight (G8) is an international forum of countries made up of France, Canada, Japan, Russia, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The group comprises 65 percent of international trade. In addition, the European Union (EU) likewise attends the annual gathering of nations. This year's summit is hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Russia is the last country to join in 1977 when former President Boris Yeltsin aggressively pushed for international trade reforms in the country. Japan will have its turn to host the G8 Assembly in 2008. Aside from the renewal of pledges to AIDS funding, climate change and poverty alleviation are the foremost priorities of the 2007 G8 Assembly.