Help Africa, Brown tells oil-rich

The plan for Africa faces 'a crucial week', Mr Brown says

Oil producing nations should use their wealth to help Africa, Chancellor Gordon Brown has urged.

The oil producers had done well out of a recent rise in oil prices, he told GMTV's Sunday programme.

The government's plan for Africa is facing a crucial week with ministers seeking to build support ahead of July's G8 summit at Gleneagles.

This week, Tony Blair is flying to Washington for talks with US President George Bush.

I would like to see the... countries that have done well out of the rise in oil prices, being willing to make a contribution also to the new development agenda Gordon Brown

And on Tuesday, European Union ministers will meet ahead of a meeting at the end of the week of the finance ministers of the G7 - the G8 minus Russia.

"I would like to see the oil producing states, the countries that have done well out of the rise in oil prices, being willing to make a contribution also to the new development agenda.

"And particularly to debt relief and to international aid, and perhaps by a contribution to the World Bank trust fund that would help relieve debts," Mr Brown said.

"I've been in touch with the countries concerned asking them to make their contribution too."

Tackling corruption

All the details of what could be agreed at Gleneagles would be "thrashed out" over the next few days, Mr Brown added.

Mr Blair and Mr Brown are seeking a doubling of international aid to Africa together with the opening up of markets to African producers, debt relief and an international finance facility to bring in funds through capital markets.

In return, African governments must tackle the corruption in the continent so that donors can be assured assistance will not be wasted.

Mr Brown said he was confident their ambitions would be realised, especially because they would "have the Americans on board".

Britain would be prepared to push on with the international finance facility even if the Americans rejected that part of the plan, he added.