FRANCE: EC President Barroso pledges more aid for new Arab democracies as G8 leaders discuss financial help for Arab nations

Record ID: 454406

  • Title: FRANCE: EC President Barroso pledges more aid for new Arab democracies as G8 leaders discuss financial help for Arab nations
  • Date: 28th May 2011
  • Summary: DEAUVILLE, FRANCE (MAY 27, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SECURITY OUTSIDE G8 VENUE VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF HOTEL NORMANDY BARRIERE WHERE MEETING HELD (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) SIGN READING: NORMANDY BARRIERE HOTEL LOBBY EGYPTIAN PRIME MINISTER ESSAM ABDEL AZIZ AHMED SHARAF WALKING IN EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT JOSE MANUEL BARROSO WAITING BARROSO AND PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL HERMANN VAN ROMPUY WALKING INTO MEETING VARIOUS OF BARROSO, VAN ROMPUY AND SHARAF MEETING GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL WALKING THROUGH LOBBY VARIOUS OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT DMITRY MEDVEDEV WALKING THROUGH LOBBY UN SECRETARY GENERAL BAN KI-MOON WALKING THROUGH HOTEL VAN ROMPUY AND BARROSO SHAKING HANDS WITH MEETING INTERIM TUNISIAN PRIME MINISTER BEJI CAID ESSEBSI EU AND TUNISIAN FLAGS VARIOUS OF VAN ROMPUY, BARROSO AND TUNISIAN DELEGATION MEETING BARROSO AND VAN ROMPUY WALKING PAST CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT JOSE MANUEL BARROSO SAYING "I also spoke about the so-called 'three Ms' - money, markets and mobility, so most important in terms of grants and loans, we have announced recently a bigger volume of aid. But also more access to our markets and also more mobility in terms of partnerships for mobility. So we need to better manage migration between South Mediterranean and Europe." CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT JOSE MANUEL BARROSO SAYING: "But it's not just about the economy but it's about a bigger engagement with those societies, with those civil societies, and I think they are ready. Let's now do everything we can to support this Arab Spring, I think it can succeed and if it succeeds it's a very powerful signal for all the Arab countries and also for the predominantly muslim countries in the world." CAMERA BARROSO LEAVING VARIOUS OF ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL AMR MOUSSA SITTING IN LOBBY VARIOUS OF IMF ACTING MANAGING DIRECTOR JOHN LIPSKY MEETING EGYPTIAN DELEGATIONS PEOPLE GATHERED IN LOBBY OF HOTEL
  • Embargoed: 12th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France, France
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA9TKK74A4CO9I0K3WDBDKN44DT
  • Story Text: Group of Eight leaders promised on Friday (May 27) to support new Arab democracies, according to a statement they are to release following a meeting in the northern French resort town of Deauville.
    G8 leaders promised 20 billion US dollars in aid when they met in France to endorse a programme aimed at fostering changes sweeping North Africa and the Middle East.
    They were concluding their annual two-day summit with the launch of a partnership for the region that ties aid and development cash to progress on democracy and economic reforms by states which have thrown off autocratic rulers.
    The leaders, in the northern resort of Deauville for their annual summit, said they "strongly support the aspirations of the Arab Spring as well as those of the Iranian people".
    The Prime ministers of Egypt and Tunisia met EU leaders on Friday - they were also due to hold meetings with the leaders of the G8's seven Western powers plus Russia.
    After his meeting, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the international community need to help support economies knocked out of kilter by the popular uprisings against long-serving authoritarian leaders.
    "I also spoke about the so-called 'three Ms' - money, markets and mobility, so most important in terms of grants and loans, we have announced recently a bigger volume of aid. But also more access to our markets and also more mobility in terms of partnerships for mobility. So we need to better manage migration between South Mediterranean and Europe," he said.
    "But it's not just about the economy but it's about a bigger engagement with those societies, with those civil societies, and I think they are ready. Let's now do everything we can to support this Arab Spring, I think it can succeed and if it succeeds it's a very powerful signal for all the Arab countries and also for the predominantly muslim countries in the world," he continued.
    In a draft statement obtained by Reuters, G8 leaders said special development banks "could provide over 20 billion US dollars, including 3.5 billion euros from the EIB, for Egypt and Tunisia for 2011-2013 in support of suitable reform efforts".
    Britain on Thursday announced a 110 million pound (175 million US dollar) package to support the transition to democracy in countries like Tunisia and Egypt. The four-year programme, funding out of existing budgets, will support greater political participation and strengthen the rule of law, officials said.
    The IMF says it can provide around 35 billion US dollars to help stabilise countries' economies but the bulk of financing will need to come from the international community.
    The World Bank on Tuesday unveiled 6 billion US dollars in new funding for Tunisia and Egypt, whose revolts have inspired popular uprisings in Yemen, Jordan, Morocco and Syria, and left Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi fighting to stay in power.
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