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G8 pledges aid to Arabs and Africa

State leaders gather for a round table meeting at the G8 Summit in Deauville, France, May 26, 2011. UPI
1 of 2 | State leaders gather for a round table meeting at the G8 Summit in Deauville, France, May 26, 2011. UPI | License Photo

DEAUVILLE, France, May 27 (UPI) -- The world's leading economic powers closed their summit in France Friday by pledging aid to new democracies in the Arab world and Africa.

The Group of Eight -- the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada and Russia, plus the European Union -- offered a total of $20 billion to Egypt and Tunisia, whose new prime ministers were in attendance, and to sub-Saharan Africa, the Voice of America reported.

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The new Ivory Coast president, Alassane Ouattara, was on hand in Deauville, along with leaders from Algeria, Ethiopia, Guinea, Niger, Senegal and South Africa.

"Our aid is conditional," said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. "We'll do more if they'll do more. More support if they are ready to go further in terms of democratic reforms."

The leaders demanded an immediate end to attacks on civilians in Libya -- without mentioning dictator Moammar Gadhafi by name -- and expressed concern about violent repression in Syria.

The summit declaration also expressed "heartfelt sympathy" and "solidarity" with earthquake-tsunami stricken Japan, offered assistance if needed and reaffirmed the need to keep nuclear plans safe. Climate change also was cited as a continuing priority.

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