Global Citizens pledge $7.3B to end poverty in Africa

By Hassan Isilow </p> <p>JOHANNESBURG (AA) – The Global Citizen Festival held in Johannesburg on Sunday raised 100 billion rand ($7.3 billion) in pledges from world leaders and organizations to end extreme poverty in Africa.</p> <p>The festival — which marked late President Nelson Mandela’s centenary — brought together several world leaders and a group of talented artists and influencers.</p> <p>Organizers said Mandela’s commitment to a better world motivated them to challenge world leaders to raise funds for improving education, fighting disease and extreme poverty.</p> <p>“Dr. Jim Kim, on behalf of the World Bank Group, made a significant commitment of an additional $1 billion next year for the health and education in Africa,” organizers said in a statement on Monday.</p> <p>The Global Citizen Festival is an annual music festival organized by the Global Poverty Project to end extreme poverty by 2030, one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.</p> <p>In a Twitter post, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country places great importance to education and pledged $50 million for the cause.</p> <p>Germany hopes for a future where people are no longer trapped by hunger, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a message.</p> <p>“Germany is one of the biggest donors to the International Fund for Agricultural Development. We will make €63 million available for this organization over the next three years,” she said.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the host of the festival Motsepe Foundation pledged $104.4 million to advance education, economic inclusion, and equality of women and girls among others.</p> <p>South African President Cyril Ramaphosa committed 2 million rand ($146,000) for youths in the country and also announced that government would provide 6 billion rand (around $439,000) for the free education of the poor.</p> <p>Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a video message that he would increase education funding in his country’s budget from 20 to 30 percent making it one of the highest on the continent.</p> <p>A number of significant pledges were also made in the fight against HIV/AIDS.