Donors asked to tackle conflicts

Accra, Aug. 29, GNA - CARE International, an aid agency, has warned that efforts to fight poverty would fail, if donors continue to neglect countries in conflicts.

"Aid reforms will be of little help to the world's most poor and vulnerable people if they do not address conflict," a statement said in Accra on Friday.

Nearly one-third of the world's poorest people currently live in conflict countries, whilst goals to reduce extreme poverty and maternal mortality have gone backwards.

The warning comes prior to Global Aid Reform Summit, which constitutes a key moment in developing donor policy for so-called "Fragile States", scheduled for September 2 to 4 in Accra. The statement signed by Vyda Mamley Hervie, Programme Information Officer for CARE International, called on the international community to improve its game or fail to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to fight poverty.

"Unless the aid system changes, half the world's poor people could be living in states that are at war or risk of violent conflict by 2010," it cautioned.

The statement indicated that international political engagement and funding for recovery often evaporated at the most critical moment in consolidating peace.

The root causes of many civil conflicts, it said, lay in economic and political grievances, hence aid to countries emerging from war could do more to promote accountability between governments and the people at war.

This would ensure that aid was more responsive to the people in need and help to consolidate a sustainable peace, the statement said. "Aid that fails to involve its intended beneficiaries becomes more a part of the problem than a solution."

CARE International also called for stronger and concrete commitment to provide more and more money to countries in conflict and efforts to hold them accountable to commitments made. It said donor accountability must include the amount promised, how effectively it was spent and how the local people were involved in deciding its use.

CARE International is one of the world's largest aid agencies, working in nearly 70 countries to fight poverty and assist more than 55 million people each year. 29 Aug. 08