Former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Ambassador Andrew Young, yesterday criticised the $15 billion spent by donor countries to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa, saying the hefty sum would have been more beneficial to the continent if it was channeled to agriculture, healthcare, water and electricity.
Young, who spoke at the closing plenary session of the 7th Leon H Sullivan Summit in Abuja, explained that he was not against scientific research but also stated that he was yet to meet anyone who had received the money spent so far on the disease.
“$15 billion has been spent on AIDS and I don’t know anyone that has received that money. With $15 billion released to agriculture, health, water, electricity….we’ll make more impact,” he said.
He said that the Sullivan Foundation planed to have at least 50 US Mayors represented at the next summit which would hold in Tanzania in 2008.
The former ambassador said this was important because there was a significant amount of African Americans in every city in the US.
He also said suggestions had been made for Brazil to be represented at the next summit because according to him, it is the second largest country, after Nigeria, with people of African decent.
Young stated that apart from Brazil, a Chinese delegation might be represented at the next summit.
Speaking on the benefits of the summit during a press conference later he stated that Nigeria had received better publicity throughout the week.
According to him, the presence of the World Bank President, Paul Wolfowitz, former President of the US, Bill Clinton and other important dignitaries was an indication that Nigeria’s image had improved.
He thanked President Olusegun Obasanjo for his full support without which he said the summit would have been impossible.
But Young said that the tragedy of Nigeria was that the wealthy invest abroad rather in the country.
He explained that this was one of the reasons why black people all over the world were still “struggling against white capitalism.”
US congressman, Walter Fauntroy, who was at the press briefing, charged the World Bank to help in the reconstruction of African countries that are devastated by war.
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