Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides)- “It is no longer possible for a small group of countries to enjoy their wealth in solitude and think the poor will not spoil the party”. This warning was launched by Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, and a member of a delegation of cardinals and bishops created in view of the meeting of the 8 most industrialised countries G8 held this year in Germany. Archbishop Onaiyekan was in Rome with part of the Delegation for a series of meetings in the framework of a "Before it is Too Late" campaign promoted by Volontari nel mondo - FOCSIV Federazione Organismi Cristiani Servizio Internazionale Volontario, Caritas Italy and 16 Italian Catholic organisations.
From 28 April to May 5 the delegation of 11 cardinals and bishops from Africa, Latin America, United States and a few European countries, had meetings with political and ecclesial authorities in the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy to pressure the 8 heads of state or government to respect promises to fight poverty. The initiative is organised by the network of European Catholic development agencies CIDSE and Caritas Internationalis as part of a "Make aid Work", campaign to present the needs of the poorest nations to the world powers meeting for the G8.
To illustrate the paradox of globalisation Archbishop Onaiyekan gave a simple example: “African boys dressed like their peers in Rome or New York, start out from Africa full of hope and they are ready to risk their lives and climb over any wall to reach Europe's wealth”. Expectations created by an economic model proposed as the only one possible, diffused through a global media system, drive growing masses of people to seek an often illusionary better life. This produces a swelling flow of illegal emigrants making for the coasts of Europe. But the Nigerian archbishop recalls that it is up to the rich countries to revise their policies towards Africa. “At the Gleneagles Summit in Scotland in 2005 the world powers promised to increase international aid to developing countries by 50 billion dollars a year and to invest at least 0.7% of the gross domestic product by 2015. A promise which so far has not been kept” said Archbishop Onaiyekan.
The Archbishop of Abuja added however that African governments have their responsibilities. Nigeria, he said, earns millions of dollars every day selling oil, but the Nigerian people still live in misery because their leaders are corrupt. Pope Benedict XVI who met the delegation of cardinals and bishops addressed a letter to the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr Angela Merkel, in which he underlined “the active involvement of international partners is indispensable. This should not be seen as an "extra" or as a concession which could be postponed in the face of pressing national concerns. It is a grave and unconditional moral responsibility, founded on the unity of the human race, and on the common dignity and shared destiny of rich and poor alike, who are being drawn ever closer by the process of globalization.” (see Fides 24 April 2007). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 7/5/2007 righe 44 parole 573)
