Premier plane scare after his 240m-euro West African pledge - 26.06.2009

SPANISH Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was given a fright last Wednesday when his plane developed mechanical problems in Toga.

The Spanish Air Force Falcon craft was forced to make an emergency landing after two failed take-off attempts.

A cloud of mosquitos apparently blocked an air intake on the plane, which was also carrying journalists covering the Prime Minister’s visit to Western Africa.
Fortunately, no one was hurt and the Premier is now back in Spain, having completed a successful mission.
He was attending the first summit between Spain and the Economic Community of West African States, held in Abuja, capital of Nigeria.
 
Zapatero announced that his government would donate 240 million euros to West African countries over the next three years. It will go towards supporting their agricultural development and food security.
It is part of the one-billion-euro pledge by the Premier at the Summit on Food Security in Madrid last January, to be spread over a five-year period.
In addition, Spain will contribute 15 million euros over five years to help ECOWAS develop the infrastructure there. Another seven million euros has been reserved for its  Regional Centre for Renewable Energy.


Zapatero spoke at the beginning of the meeting last Monday, urging developed countries not to avoid their responsibilities in the fight against poverty.
“Now, more than ever, and in spite of the economic difficulties, those responsibilities constrain all states,” he said.


The Prime Minister guaranteed that Spain would maintain its goal of providing government aid for development, and he also promised to back the West Africa countries in their bid for development and regional integration.
Zapatero, in his second visit to West Africa since becoming Prime Minister in April 2004, acknowledged that the world economic and financial crisis limited the possibilities for short-term action.
But he warned: “Those people suffering from hunger measured that suffering in human lives and must never be forgotten.”
On average, Spanish aid provided to Sub-Saharan Africa between 2001 and 2004 amounted to 150 million euros per year. And it reached 1.4 billion in 2008.


It is estimated that 60% of the region’s population live on much less than one euro a day. But Zapatero has pledged to work “shoulder to shoulder” with the countries of West Africa.
He also promised to push that aim during Spain’s six-month term in the European Union presidency, which begins on 1^st January.

Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal, pointed to Spain’s collaboration with his country in the fight against irregular immigration as an example of North-South co-operation.