KANANASKIS, Alta. (CP) - The planet's richest countries ended their annual meeting Thursday with promises to help the world's poorest people in Africa, but fell somewhat short of lofty pre-summit expectations.
The leaders of the Group of Eight also admitted Russia as a full member and agreed on a global partnership to keep weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists, including $20-billion US for Russia to destroy most of its nuclear, chemical and biological arsenal.
The sharp-shooters and attack helicopters hovering in the magnificent mountains surrounding this stunning village didn't hear a peep from terrorists or protesters.
A hungry and persistent bear was the lone victim of the extraordinary security blanket thrown over the summit. The black bear was put down after it was injured falling from a tree while trying to get at a soldier's food bag.
Prime Minister Jean Chretien said he hopes the blueprint for substantial new African aid will be the lasting achievement of a summit that was partially overshadowed by a controversial U.S. Mideast peace plan.
And he committed Canada to spend $6 billion over five years to help Africa fight poverty, improve education and battle AIDS.
"We promised a different kind of summit to encourage better results and we have delivered," Chretien told a news conference wrapping up the two-day summit.
The G-8 Africa Action Plan will provide aid, economic and other support to African countries that demonstrate good governance, rule of law and sound economic policies. The aim is to improve the lives of African people by reducing corruption, poverty and human rights abuses.
But the package contains plenty of loopholes and no guarantees that Russia, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Britain, the United States and Canada will deliver on a promise to devote half of $12 billion in new overseas aid - agreed to in March - to Africa.
"Each of us will decide, in accordance with our respective priorities and procedures, how we will allocate the additional money we have pledged," the leaders said in a statement.
"We believe that, in aggregate, half or more of our new development assistance could be directed to African nations that govern justly, invest in their own people and promote economic freedom."
Chretien announced the agreement on Africa following discussions with the presidents of four African nations and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
"We have acted collectively to make sure that globalization benefits all and no continent is left behind," Chretien said.
The Africa plan also:
- Slashes the debt of 22 countries with good records by $19 billion US. On top of other debt relief, that represents a reduction of $30 billion for Africa, or two-thirds of the continent's debt.
- Calls on African countries introduce a peer-review system to judge whether a government is meeting its commitments.
- Pledges support for African agriculture, but doesn't offer to cut western agricultural subsidies, which make it difficult for African farmers to compete.
- Offers support for efforts to resolve the many armed conflicts on the continent.
Critics complain the plan was rushed through by a small group of leaders with little public consultation. They also question whether African leaders with poor human rights records can be trusted to police themselves and their "peers" adequately.
"Our collective disappointment is that it's been touted as something new and wonderful, but it's the same old ideas," said Njoki Njoroge, a Kenyan who heads 50 Years Is Not Enough, a U.S. coalition dedicated to transforming the IMF.
The action plan is based on the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) was developed by African leaders.
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, one of the architects of the plan, acknowledged that Africans have squandered billions in past aid, but promised to punish future miscreants.
"We are seen as non-performers in the past," he told G-8 leaders assembled behind him outdoors for a final photo.
"If any of us are lagging behind we will give him a push or we will give him a sanction."
Annan called the Africa package "a turning point in the history of Africa, and indeed, the world."
Russia was another big winner at the summit, with its full admission to the G-8 and money to destroy its most deadly weapons.
Russia's obligations include providing the G-8 partners access to disposal sites, such as facilities where nuclear submarines are dismantled, officials said. Russia also has ensured adequate auditing and oversight authority to its partners.
Canada has offered to help Russia dispose of some of its beached and rusting nuclear submarines as part of its contribution, a senior official said.
Canadian expertise gleaned from the development of CANDU reactors would be used to dispose of the fissile material that could be used to make a devastating weapon should it fall into the hands of terrorists.
But while the agreement calls for eliminating chemical and nuclear weapons, there is only a commitment to "reduce" biological agents.
"We didn't have a perfect agreement," Chretien acknowledged. "We wanted to make some progress. I have to admit that four or five days ago, I didn't think we would succeed."
The plan to eliminate Russia's old stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction will cost the United States $10 billion over 10 years. The other G-8 countries, excluding Russia, will contribute an additional $10 billion. Canada will kick in $1 billion over 10 years.
G-8 leaders also agreed on a series of measures to make transportation more secure in the wake of Sept. 11, including reinforced cockpit doors, a global standard for sharing airline passenger information and the need for a better system to identify high-risk shipping containers.
It remains to be seen whether Chretien will profit politically from his turn at the chair of the exclusive club - and put some distance between himself and the move afoot in his Liberal party to force him to surrender his leadership to Paul Martin.
Chretien helped thwart his stated intention of keeping Africa as the summit centrepiece by sowing confusion over whether he endorsed a U.S. demand to replace Yasser Arafat before a Palestinian state can be recognized.
On Tuesday, Chretien suggested it "might be a good thing" if Arafat was gone, prompting American officials to boast that the prime minister was onside.
On Wednesday, Chretien refused to state outright if he agreed with U.S. President George W. Bush on Arafat. He said he supports the U.S. plan, but added: "it's going to be the people of Palestine who decide who will be the leader."
Italian Prime Minister Sylvio Berlusconi said Bush was alone in calling for Arafat's ouster. But he added that among the leaders, "there is the conviction that Arafat should make a grand gesture and remove himself."
While the leaders met securely at the Kananaskis lodge, protesters marched through the streets of several cities.
On Thursday, about 100 kilometres away in Calgary, dozens bare-breasted women with willow branches wrapped around their heads rolled in the mud at a downtown park, singing songs to celebrate Mother Earth and protest the G-8. That followed a day of peaceful protests Wednesday.
In Ottawa, up to 2,000 demonstrators, dogged by clattering police helicopters in the sodden skies, snaked through city streets toward Parliament Hill for a second day. The wet weather soon drove most away and police said they received no complaints about vandalism or violence.
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