Obligated to Help Africa?

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I think rich countries deserve to give more aid to Africa, but aid only will not help! Africa needs fair treatment in trade. In my country Tanzania we're blessed with good soil, thus various crops are grown, but we lack market for our products! Also it's second to South Africa in terms of Gold and other minerals, but we don't benefit with it because the companies are from Europe and they take mines to their countries without paying tax because of policies forced on us through IMF and World Bank. -- Godwin K.

Africa is a rich continent. It has everything: gold, silver, diamonds, minerals, oil, tropical produce and millions of tourists, but the little people are poor. Africa has the means to buy weapons to fight endless wars, but cannot feed its own people. It appears odd that at a conference which discusses ways how to help the starving people of Africa, African representatives are not present. -- J. Lukins

We have no obligation to pay any money at all to the Africans. The world is grossly overpopulated, and the population problem will get worse if the productive countries subsidize the unrestrained population growth of the Third World. -- Nolan Snell

The thought of aid to Africa is wonderful, but my feeling is it would either be distributed to their politicians' favorite group and not to others or would mostly end up in some Swiss bank accounts of African politicians. Pouring money into Africa is like pouring it down a hole. They should be compensated well for raw material that we consume and that's it. What we are doing is propping up crooked leaders. Unfortunate but true. -- Richard Hess

The rich countries are obliged to help Africa because most of the problems we are facing today have been caused by them. The so-called problems of corruption in Africa are encouraged by these rich countries. -- Osheidu Olukayode Emmanuel

Is debt relief the right mechanism to aid African nations? No!! My question is why should we forgive the debt of these nations that have corrupt, inefficient governments? Why should my hard-earned tax dollars be used to line the pockets of an elite few? Europeans, it's not just American tax dollars, but it's your money too that's going to be thrown away. It's ironic to me that this whole campaign is led by people who are all multi-millionaires who have an army of accountants at their disposal to hide their vast fortunes from the tax man. Again, I say NO!! -- A. Barnes, Texas, USA

I do not think the so-called rich countries should feel obligated to help Africa. Here in the United States millions don't even have health care, can't afford to see a doctor or pay for needed medicine. Africa has resources. They need to help themselves. The people need to rid themselves of the corrupt rulers and start buying food instead of guns. -- Fred Pelham