An attack by British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown on the ”hypocrisy” of Europe and other rich countries for pledging aid to Africa while imposing unfair trade barriers was today dismissed by the head of the European Union’s executive arm.
In a sign of the gulf between Britain and many of its European partners on the eve of the G8 summit next week, Jose Manuel Barroso declared that the EU had nothing to be ashamed of because it had the world’s most open markets to developing countries.
”Europe is the most open market to developing countries by far,” the European commission president told Guardian Unlimited.
Speaking ahead of London talks with Tony Blair to mark the start of Britain’s six month EU presidency on Friday, Barroso said: ”We should not be ashamed — on the contrary.
”In terms of the access to our markets for the less developed countries, we have almost no quotas or tariffs — the so-called ‘everything but arms’ initiative. What I hope is to engage others in the developed world to be as open and generous.”
Barroso insisted he was not ”commenting on others”, but his remarks came when he was asked about the chancellor’s criticism of the ”hypocrisy” of Europe and other wealthy nations for denying Africa access to their markets.
”I am setting out my position — and I am not hypocritical,” Barroso said. ”Just look at the figures. The most important market for Africa by far is Europe. It is amazing the distance when you compare the exports from Africa to Europe and all the other players around the world — there is almost no comparison.
”So we should not be too self-critical. It does not mean we should not do more. We should. I cannot accept the idea — and I know it is very common in some circles — that we are more closed than others when it comes to relations to Africa or to less developed countries.”
Barroso, who leads his 25-strong European commission to a summit with the Cabinet at Lancaster House in central London on Friday, will take his message about Africa to the G8 summit in Gleneagles next week.
The former Portuguese foreign minister, who played a key role in the Angolan peace talks, believes he has credibility on Africa that will beat that of most of the other leaders round the table.
”This is a cause I have had for a long time,” said the ex-Portuguese prime minister, who was a Maoist during the ”revolution of carnations” which saw the fall of Lisbon’s rightwing dictatorship in 1974.
”I mediated in the Angolan conflict. I was very much involved in the Mozambique peace process. This is not just fashion because I came here and I thought it was popular to have Bono around me. I think this for a long time.
”Now I have the possibility to put this on the agenda at European and world level with a visibility that I never could have as deputy foreign minister. I am doing this because I believe this is a real cause for our generation. It is intolerable what is happening in the world. Let us do it.”
In one key area, Barroso will find himself in agreement with other G8 leaders and particularly with the United States President, George Bush, who insists that increasing aid to Africa must be accompanied by greater transparency in government.
”I am proposing — and I will be bringing this message to Gleneagles — a so-called aid for trade,” he said. ”It is not enough just to give them access. We have to work with them on their institutional capacity and many other issues so we can translate these intentions into facts.”
The 49-year-old prepared for next week’s G8 summit by embarking on a three-nation tour of Africa earlier this week. ”I went to South Africa, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo. One English speaking, another Portuguese speaking and another French speaking,” he said of his visits to countries whose former colonial rulers are all now EU members.
The historic position of Britain, Portugal and Belgium placed the EU in a special situation, Barroso said. ”I believe we have a special responsibility to Africa,” he explained.
”This is a devastated continent. We can help change the situation. It is unacceptable that so many people are dying from HIV/Aids in Africa. It is simply the task of our generation to change the situation.
”In the past, many people considered slavery as a natural fact of life, and even colonial rule was considered more or less acceptable in some periods of history.
”How can we accept now as a fact of life absolute poverty and starvation — 25 000 people to die every day in the world? Or people dying because they haven’t got clean water?
”We can make a difference. There are enough resources. What we need is political commitment at high level and better organisation. This requires our effort and their effort — better governance. They should be committed to it.”
With Europe embarking on a bout of introspection after the failure of the EU constitution, Barroso said its leaders must not give up on Africa.
”Africa is a priority. Europe should not now be introspective, Europe should not be inward looking. It is true that we have some problems, but there are much more serious problems around the world.
”We have a duty of solidarity … it is also in our interests, because it is a huge continent.” – Guardian Unlimited Â