[Johntina]

Blair never seized to talk about Africa at least since the Zimbabwean expulsion of white farmers (maybe, to give the impression that British interest was not just for their white farmers). In or around 2003 or 2004, he inaugurated his African commission from which his global campaign for debt forgiveness and make poverty history emanated.
George Bush has also been very caring for Africa, if we can be honest to ourselves, his African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was the first step upon his assumption of office, long before Blair became an Africa "Prime Minister". We cannot ignore the significance of his successive appointment of African American Secretaries of State in his two terms!
How many past American Presidents (including the much celebrated Bill Clinton) gave Africans principal roles in their governments? By appointing an African as secretary of state I believe George Bush ought to celebrate by all enlightened Black people as our greatest American President since Abraham Lincoln. Above all, Bush has been the strongest defender of the Black race in Sudan. Only God knows how bad things would have been in Sudan today, but for the US government.
The question is how many Black African elected leaders have demonstrated the amount of sincerity shown by Blair or Bush so far towards his people and Black Africa as a whole?
The time and energy to criticise Blair should have been channelled towards criticising ones state governor or local government chairman. Neither Britain nor America nor any other country owes Black Africa or the Black race any duty of care whatsoever! I believe we should have no ground for criticising Blair so much because he owed us no duty at all.
Of course one can criticise the British government or its agency like the BBC as I always do on a specific issue, where it arrogates itself the position of un unbiased mediator or news reporter like in the case of Zimbabwe, but not generally or where a foreign Prime Minister is merely expressing concern about the despicable plight of our people. I will never forget Mr. Blair’s statement at the height of the Asian Tsunami media frenzy, that the world’s attention should nevertheless not be diverted from Africa’s plight. He maintained that Africa suffered from human tsunami! I do not approve of Blair’s vision for Africa as I think it is based on white supremacist notion, but I would not devote my time to condemning him for showing concern or even complain that he did no show enough concern when he owed us none…
John Iteshi