True, increased exports will raise foreign exchange, but to increase cash crop production for export, food crop production has to be reduced. Currency devaluation makes export goods cheaper, but with having to import basic necessities, it results more in foreign exchange loss than gain. Our countries are so much in debt that the present generation is paying the debt with their lives . This must be stopped, and the money used for people, as the sister from Zambia suggests for cancelled debt, a cancellation of schoolfees for basic eduction, provision of textbooks and teaching aids, a decent salary for teachers could be imposed and controlled. Top of page Control the trade in arms.
Arms are very easily accessible.
Also arms given to the army in troubled times have not been returned but remain hidden across the country . We agree with our respondent from Tanzania that t here are other systems than weapons to protect national security and want a EU which controls the availability of arms in support of those in Africa who are trying to remove weapons from circulation, as in Mozambique where the Church Council has promoted exchange of weapons for hoes, sewing machines There needs to be an arms boycott mechanism in place and powerful conflict resolution . Writes an African sister in Kenya, m y experience shows that this is not true because most of the arms, used clothes, vehicles, which are the cause of poverty come from Europe. And from Angola we are told Europe has turned its back on Africa, and now looks and helps East .